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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
11:13
Culturing and Maintaining Clostridium difficile in an Anaerobic Environment
Published on: September 14, 2013
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Clostridium difficile Bacteremia in an Elderly Patient with Multiple Comorbidities: A Case Report
Binwei Wu1, Xiaoying Song1, Yu Liu2
1Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, China.
Surgical Infections
|November 28, 2024
Summary
This case report details a rare instance of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) bacteremia in an elderly patient. Prompt treatment with vancomycin and biapenem led to successful recovery, highlighting the need for vigilance in high-risk individuals.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) commonly causes health-care-associated colitis.
- Extraintestinal manifestations, such as bacteremia, are rare.
- Elderly patients with comorbidities are at higher risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a rare case of C. difficile bacteremia.
- To describe the clinical presentation and management of C. difficile ST81 bacteremia.
- To emphasize monitoring for extraintestinal infections in high-risk patients.
Main Methods:
- Case report of an elderly male with fever and comorbidities.
- Diagnostic testing for concurrent bacteremia.
- Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to identify C. difficile strain.
- Treatment with vancomycin and biapenem.
Main Results:
- Concurrent bacteremia with C. difficile (ST81) and Klebsiella pneumoniae was diagnosed.
- The patient received combination antibiotic therapy.
- Successful recovery and discharge were achieved.
Conclusions:
- C. difficile ST81 bacteremia is a rare but serious extraintestinal manifestation.
- Prompt diagnosis and combination therapy are crucial for favorable outcomes.
- Increased surveillance for extraintestinal C. difficile infections in vulnerable populations is warranted.
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