Clostridium Difficile

One of the most feared pathogens is Clostridium difficile, which is very difficult to treat, recurs frequently and causes high mortality and morbidity. Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) remains the foremost identified cause of nosocomial diarrhoea. It is estimated that CDI causes up to 20-30% of all nosocomial diarrhoea cases and is responsible for virtually all cases of pseudomembranous colitis, the most common manifestation of disease. Toxin production by these bacteria cause the disease manifestations. Non-intestinal manifestations include C difficile-associated arthritis and septicaemia.

The rate acquisition of clostridium difficile has been reported to be 13% for individuals hospitalised from one to two weeks, increasing to as high as 50% for those hospitalised more than four weeks.

Antibiotic-induced diarrhoea is a huge challenge to medical care and probably one of the most common diseases within healthcare institutions. Clostridium difficile is usually treated with vancomysin and metronidazole. The cost for treatment of unspecific colitis is estimated to be approximately GBP 4 000 in the UK but depends on the final prolongation of the hospital stay. On the basis of the findings of another study, a conservative estimate of the cost of nosocomial diarrhoea due to Clostridium difficile in the United States exceeds USD 1.1 billion per year.