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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
12:58
A Protocol to Characterize the Morphological Changes of Clostridium difficile in Response to Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: May 25, 2017
Alternative therapies for Clostridium difficile infections.
Charles Venuto1, Mary Butler, Elizabeth Dodds Ashley
1Department of Pharmacy Practice, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14626, USA.
Pharmacotherapy
|December 1, 2010
Summary
Nontraditional therapies for Clostridium difficile infection show promise. Nitazoxanide and teicoplanin are effective alternatives, while fecal bacteriotherapy demonstrates high cure rates, warranting further study for this serious infection.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) causes significant morbidity and mortality.
- Increasing CDI frequency and hypervirulent strains lead to severe disease and treatment failures.
- Traditional treatments (metronidazole, vancomycin) are increasingly ineffective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review nontraditional therapies for CDI prevention and treatment.
- To assess the efficacy of alternative agents against CDI.
- To identify emerging therapeutic strategies for CDI.
Main Methods:
- Literature search of PubMed-MEDLINE (1984-2010).
- Inclusion of 21 studies evaluating probiotics, prebiotics, antimicrobials, and bacteriotherapy.
- Analysis of clinical trials and retrospective studies.
Main Results:
- Probiotics showed limited efficacy; only one formulation with Lactobacillus casei and L. bulgaricus was effective.
- Nitazoxanide and teicoplanin demonstrated noninferiority to vancomycin/metronidazole for primary CDI treatment.
- Fecal bacteriotherapy showed high cure rates in case studies but lacks randomized trials.
Conclusions:
- Nitazoxanide, teicoplanin, and fidaxomicin may serve as alternatives to traditional CDI treatments.
- Prebiotics are not clinically warranted for CDI prevention or treatment.
- Further clinical studies are needed to evaluate alternative therapies, including bacteriotherapy, for CDI.
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