Clostridium difficile Is an Autotrophic Bacterial Pathogen

Clostridium difficile Is an Autotrophic Bacterial Pathogen

During the last decade, Clostridium difficile infection showed a dramatic increase in incidence and virulence in the Northern hemisphere. This incessantly challenging disease is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated and nosocomial infectious diarrhea and became life-threatening especially among elderly people. It is generally assumed that all human bacterial pathogens are heterotrophic org...

Clostridium difficile : a high - cost nosocomial pathogen

Clostridium difficile: an important pathogen of food animals.

Human Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) is of unquestioned importance in humans, and has been a not-uncommon cause of enteric disease in horses, dogs, and ratites. Over the past 5 years, C. difficile has emerged as a major cause of neonatal enteritis in pigs. Piglets 1-7 days of age are affected, with gross lesions frequently including mesocolonic edema. Colonic contents may be pa...

Clostridium difficile-associated disease: new challenges from an established pathogen.

Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) can range from uncomplicated diarrhea to sepsis and even death. CDAD rates and severity are increasing, possibly due to a new strain. Transmission of C difficile occurs primarily in health care facilities via the fecal-oral route following transient contamination of the hands of health care workers and patients; contamination of the patient care e...

Clostridium difficile: the increasingly difficult pathogen

The epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection is changing as a result of the epidemic spread of the hypervirulent North American Pulsefield type 1 strain. Clinicians are likely to encounter this disease more frequently than ever in their practice, and should be familiar with the updates in its diagnosis and treatment.