الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract C. difficile is a spore-forming, obligate anaerobic, Gram positive bacillus and is acquired from the environment or by the fecal-oral route. Toxins A and B are responsible for intestinal disease. C. difficile has been recognized as the most important nosocomial pathogen that manifests gastrointestinal symptoms subsequent to the use of broad spectrum antibiotics. Changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota have been implicated in the initiation or maintenance of CDAD, which occurs predominantly in patients whose colonic microbiota has been disrupted by antibiotic therapy. Clinical symptoms of CDI vary widely, from asymptomatic colonization to pseudomembranous colitis with bloody diarrhea, fever, and severe abdominal pain. Alarming changes in the epidemiology of CDAD, including an increase in both the incidence and severity of the disease, have highlighted concerns about patterns of C. difficile infection. |