Microbe of the Weeks

What is the morphology of C. difficile?

gram positive, rod

• spore forming

anaerobe

naturally resides in the gut

• 2-5% bacterial population

What does C. difficile being opportunistic mean?

antibiotic treatment eliminates bacteria part of normal flora that suppresses the bacteria’s overgrowth

What is the epidemiology of C. difficile?

opportunistic

produces toxins

healthcare-associated infections

associated with 14,000 deaths a year in the US

Where does C. difficile get spread most often?

hospitals and rehabilitation centers / nursing homes

What causes most of the deaths from C. difficile?

antibiotic theory

advanced age

immunocompromised

long stay in healthcare facilities

gastrointestinal surgery

How is C. difficile transmitted?

fecal-oral route, mainly via the hands of healthcare personnel who have touched a contaminated surface or item

How to detect C. difficile?

stool culture (false negative [nontoxigenic strains], turn around time is slow)

molecular (test for gene encoding for toxin)

antigenic testing

detection of toxin (toxins degrade rapidly at room temperature)

How to treat C. difficile?

antibiotics for 10 days

fecal transplant