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Clostridium difficile in children: a review of existing and recently uncovered evidence

Oliver Morris1, Marc Tebruegge, Ann Pallett

  • 1Academic Unit of Clinical & Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, Southampton, UK. omorris@doctors.org.uk

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|May 10, 2013
PubMed

Insights

The role of Clostridium difficile in children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Clostridium difficile presence in children's stool has uncertain clinical significance.
  • It's common in asymptomatic infants, potentially normal gut flora.
  • Disease (CDI) and unclear associations (CDAD) occur in older/co-morbid children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the significance of Clostridium difficile in pediatric patients.
  • To address unanswered questions regarding C. difficile in children.
  • To present new pediatric data from a UK epidemiological study.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on Clostridium difficile in children.
  • Analysis of recently uncovered pediatric data.
  • Epidemiological study from the UK.

Main Results:

  • Data suggests C. difficile may be incidental in infants.
  • C. difficile infection (CDI) causes significant morbidity/mortality in some children.
  • Clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) represents a spectrum of unclear associations.

Conclusions:

  • The clinical significance of C. difficile in children varies widely.
  • Distinguishing between colonization, CDAD, and CDI is crucial.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the role of C. difficile in pediatric gastrointestinal illness.

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