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06:51
Cefoperazone-treated Mouse Model of Clinically-relevant Clostridium difficile Strain R20291
Published on: December 10, 2016
Clostridium difficile enteritis: a review and pooled analysis of the cases
1Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA 15213, USA.
Anaerobe
|February 22, 2011
Summary
Clostridium difficile enteritis, though rare, is increasingly reported. Key risk factors include prior surgery, older age, and weakened immune systems, highlighting the need for broader recognition beyond the colon.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Surgical Outcomes
Background:
- Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) commonly causes healthcare-associated diarrhea, typically affecting the colon.
- Small bowel involvement, known as C. difficile enteritis, is less common but increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and analyze reported cases of C. difficile enteritis.
- To identify risk factors and outcomes associated with C. difficile enteritis.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search of the Pubmed database was conducted.
- A pooled analysis of reported C. difficile enteritis cases from 1980 to 2010 was performed.
Main Results:
- 56 cases of C. difficile enteritis were identified, with a significant increase in reports since 2001.
- Patients with C. difficile enteritis often had inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or predisposing conditions leading to immunoincompetence.
- Non-survivors were significantly older and more likely to have predisposing medical conditions compared to survivors.
Conclusions:
- C. difficile enteritis remains rare but is reported more frequently in recent years.
- Risk factors for C. difficile enteritis include surgically altered intestinal anatomy, advanced age, and immunocompromised states.
- Early recognition of C. difficile infection in the small bowel, in addition to the colon, may improve patient outcomes.
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