[Six years evaluation of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea]

Mikrobiyol Bul. 2004 Jan-Apr;38(1-2):45-50.
[Article in Turkish]

Abstract

This study was aimed to detect the presence of Clostridium difficile toxin in the stool samples of patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhea or pseudomembranous colitis, and to relate its presence with the clinical findings of the patients. Between January 1997-April 2003, a total of 726 stool samples were investigated for C. difficile toxin A and/or B by enzyme immunoassay. Of them, 68 (9.4%) were found positive for C. difficile toxin (62 were toxin A, 6 were toxin B). C. difficile associated diarrhea were found to be related mostly with the use of beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations (32/68), followed by aminoglycosides (12/68), and cephalosporins (8/68). The ages of the patients were between 1-86 years old (mean: 43.3 years), and 36 (52.9%) of them had an underlying conditions. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic renal failure were the underlying disease in 18, malignancy in 11, and others (diabetes, hepatitis, transplantation, multiple sclerosis) in 7 of the patients. In conclusion, toxin detection and knowledge of the risk factors are the beneficial guidelines for the diagnosis of C. difficile associated diarrhea in the routine setting.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Bacterial Proteins / analysis*
  • Bacterial Toxins / analysis*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Clostridioides difficile / pathogenicity*
  • Diarrhea / diagnosis
  • Diarrhea / microbiology*
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / complications
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / diagnosis
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / microbiology*
  • Enterotoxins / analysis*
  • Feces / chemistry
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Infant
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / complications
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / complications
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / complications
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Enterotoxins
  • tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile
  • toxB protein, Clostridium difficile