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Updated: Jan 11, 2026
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A Protocol to Characterize the Morphological Changes of Clostridium difficile in Response to Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: May 25, 2017
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Diagnosis and Management of Clostridioides difficile
Colleen R Kelly1,2, Paul Feuerstadt3,4
1Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
The American Journal of Gastroenterology
|November 17, 2025
Summary
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) diagnosis and treatment are complex. This review clarifies current guidelines for CDI testing, antibiotic use, and novel microbiota-based therapies for improved patient care.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
- Recent advancements offer new insights into diagnostic strategies and treatment options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current evidence and guidelines for CDI diagnosis and treatment.
- To clarify the roles of antibiotics and emerging microbiota-based therapies.
- To optimize patient care by addressing diagnostic and therapeutic complexities.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent studies and clinical observations.
- Synthesis of current evidence and clinical guidelines.
- Discussion of diagnostic test limitations and algorithmic approaches.
Main Results:
- Algorithmic approaches improve CDI diagnosis over individual tests.
- Vancomycin and fidaxomicin are first-line treatments; metronidazole's role is decreasing.
- Novel fecal microbiota-based therapies (Rebyota, Vowst) show promise for recurrent CDI.
Conclusions:
- Updated diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are crucial for managing CDI.
- Fecal microbiota-based therapies represent a significant advancement for recurrent CDI.
- Addressing challenges in fecal microbiota transplantation is essential for its broader application.
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