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Clostridium difficile Infection in a Very Young Infant with Pseudomembranous Colitis Noted on Endoscopy
1Pediatric Gastroenterology, Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Insights
Clostridium difficile infection can occur in infants, even when it’s a normal colon bacteria. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment led to a full recovery in a young infant with C. difficile colitis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Rising Clostridium difficile infection rates impact pediatric populations.
- Guidelines recommend against routine C. difficile testing in children under 2 due to its common presence as normal flora.
- Clinical suspicion is key for diagnosis in this age group.
Observation:
- A very young infant presented with food refusal, poor weight gain, and abdominal distention.
- Imaging revealed colitis.
- Endoscopic evaluation confirmed pseudomembranous colitis.
Findings:
- The infant received antibiotics targeting C. difficile.
- The patient experienced a full recovery after treatment.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering C. difficile colitis in the differential diagnosis of infants with gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Early recognition and treatment are crucial for favorable outcomes in pediatric C. difficile infections.
- Challenges in diagnosing C. difficile in young children due to normal flora presence warrant careful clinical evaluation.
Abstract:
Clostridium difficile infection rates have been rising within the last decade and more pediatric patients have been suffering from this type of infection. However, this bacterium is a well-known contaminant in the normal flora of the colon in patients under the age of 2 years, and therefore consensus guidelines have recommended against routine testing for this infection, unless clinically indicated. We present here a case of a very young infant who presented with symptoms of food refusal, poor weight gain, abdominal distention, and colitis noted on imaging. Endoscopic evaluation demonstrated the presence of pseudomembranous colitis, so the patient was treated with antibiotics against C. difficile and recovered fully. This case demonstrates the importance of keeping C. difficile colitis in your differential diagnosis, even at a very young age.
