Clostridium difficile: causes and interventions

Human infection with Clostridium difficile can take many forms. It can exist in many patients who are relatively well or who have symptoms similar to irritable bowel syndrome. It can also infect the patient in the acute care facility. These patients typically have received antibiotics for more than 3 days and begin to experience foul-smelling, watery stools within a few days of initiation of antibiotic coverage. Good hand washing and environmental cleanliness remain the primary ways of preventing the spread of this infection from patient to patient. The possibility of using probiotics to replace the beneficial bacteria should be pursued.