Doenças Infecciosas Clínicas: Acesso Aberto

Clostridium Difficile Infection: Battling the Gut Menace

Abstract

Jose Fernandez

Clostridium Difficile Infection (CDI) poses a significant challenge to healthcare systems worldwide, particularly in hospital settings. This bacterium, commonly found in the environment and in the gut flora of some individuals, can lead to a range of symptoms from mild diarrhea to severe and life-threatening complications. In recent years, the incidence and severity of CDI have increased, necessitating a deeper understanding of its causes, risk factors, diagnostic methods and treatment options. Clostridium difficile, often referred to as C. difficile or C. diff, is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium notorious for causing antibiotic-associated diarrhea and colitis. It is one of the leading causes of healthcare-associated infections globally. C. difficile spores are resilient, capable of surviving in the environment for prolonged periods, making transmission both possible and challenging to prevent. While the bacterium may exist harmlessly in the gut flora of healthy individuals, disruptions to the microbiota, typically due to antibiotic use, allow C. difficile to proliferate and produce toxins, leading to infection.