Pathogens
Clostridioides difficile

Clostridioides difficile

Precautions

Contact/Spore Precautions

Susceptibilities

General Information

  • Fidaxomicin
  • Metronidazole

Anaerobic spore forming gram positive bacilli, box-car shaped

  • Nosocomial onset more common than community onset, usually after taking antibiotics
  • Can occur in outbreaks
  • Risk factors include advanced age, hospitalization, recent antibiotic use, cancer chemotherapy, gastrointestinal surgery, previous history of C. difficile
  • Other predisposing drugs: proton pump inhibitors, histamine receptor antagonists, antacids, NSAIDS
  • Profuse, watery diarrhea
  • Pseudomembranous colitis or toxic megacolon
  • May colonize GI tract
  • Discontinue concomitant antibiotics whenever possible
  • Do not test patients receiving concomitant laxatives
  • Avoid antiperistaltic medicine during the acute phase