This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (42)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Drug Therapy, Other  • Review  • Alert me on articles by topic

Brian W. Hurley, MD; Cuong C. Nguyen, MD

Arch Intern Med. 2002;162:2177-2184.

Pseudomembranous (entero)colitis is primarily caused by Clostridium difficile infection. The most common predisposing factor is prior use of antibiotics, including vancomycin and metronidazole, which themselves are therapy for C difficile colitis. Other risk factors have also been described. The presence of C difficile in the gastrointestinal tract leads to a spectrum of manifestations from the asymptomatic carrier state to fulminant colitis. Successful treatment of C difficile colitis requires prompt treatment with appropriate antibiotics, withdrawal of the suspected predisposing antibiotics, and, in rare cases, total colectomy. Preventive measures of adequate infection control and judicious use of antibiotics are necessary means in attempting to control the spread of C difficile infection. Attempts at making an effective human vaccine are currently under way.

From the Division of Hospital Internal Medicine (Dr Hurley) and the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Dr Nguyen), Mayo Clinic (Scottsdale), Scottsdale, Ariz.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Germination of spores of Clostridium difficile strains, including isolates from a hospital outbreak of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD)
Paredes-Sabja et al.
Microbiology 2008;154:2241-2250.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Bile Salts and Glycine as Cogerminants for Clostridium difficile Spores
Sorg and Sonenshein
J. Bacteriol. 2008;190:2505-2512.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prognosis in Clostridium difficile infection complicating inflammatory bowel disease
Stone
Gut 2008;57:150-152.
FULL TEXT  

The Distribution and Density of Clostridium difficile Toxin Receptors on the Intestinal Mucosa of Neonatal Pigs
Keel and Songer
Vet Pathol 2007;44:814-822.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Comparative Pathology of Clostridium difficile-associated Disease
Keel and Songer
Vet Pathol 2006;43:225-240.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Preoperative Oral Antibiotics in Colorectal Surgery Increase the Rate of Clostridium difficile Colitis
Wren et al.
Arch Surg 2005;140:752-756.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Pathogenesis and treatment of Clostridium difficile infection
Tonna and Welsby
Postgrad. Med. J. 2005;81:367-369.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Clostridium difficile Toxins: Mechanism of Action and Role in Disease
Voth and Ballard
Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 2005;18:247-263.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT