Clostridium difficile infections

Clostridioides difficile causes a range of debilitating intestinal symptoms that may be fatal. It is particularly problematic as a hospital-acquired infection, causing significant costs to the health care system. Antibiotics, such as vancomycin and fidaxomicin, are still the drugs of choice for C. difficile infections, but their effectiveness is limited, and microbial interventions are emerging as a new treatment option. This paper focuses on alternative treatment approaches, which are currently in various stages of development and can be divided into four therapeutic strategies...

The small acid-soluble proteins are found in all endospore-forming organisms and are a major component of spores. Through their DNA binding capabilities, the SASPs shield the DNA from outside insults (e.g., UV and genotoxic chemicals). The absence of the major SASPs results in spores with reduced viability when exposed to UV light and, in at least one case, the inability to complete sporulation. While the SASPs have been characterized for decades, some evidence suggests that using newer technologies to revisit the roles of the SASPs could reveal novel functions in spore regulation...

Previous studies showed a potential anti-inflammatory effect of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) as well as possible inhibition of pancreatic secretion. This presents the question of their possible use in acute pancreatitis (AP). Current clinical evidence does not address the role of PPI and the present review for possible therapeutic use and safety is lacking. Therefore, our study aims to address the role of PPI in the management of AP and their association with the different outcomes of AP. We queried the Diamond Network through TriNetX-Research Network...

A 50-year-old female who presented to our hospital for recurrent diarrhea was found to have worsening aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels. Workup revealed lymphadenopathy and hepatomegaly prompting a biopsy of the liver and axillary lymph node, confirming a diagnosis of hepatic sarcoidosis. Our patient later developed cutaneous sarcoidosis. She is currently asymptomatic and is followed by gastroenterology, pulmonary, and dermatology. Recognition of extrapulmonary manifestations of sarcoidosis is important for proper management of patients...

Spore-forming pathogens have a unique capacity to thrive in diverse environments, and with temporal persistence afforded through their ability to sporulate. Their prevalence in diverse ecosystems requires a One Health approach to identify critical reservoirs and outbreak-associated transmission chains, given their capacity to freely move across soils, waterways, foodstuffs and as commensals or infecting pathogens in human and animal populations. Among anaerobic spore-formers, genomic resources for pathogens including C...

OBJECTIVES: Eravacycline, a new tetracycline derivative, exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial susceptibility. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate in-vitro activities of eravacycline, tigecycline, and ertapenem against various Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and anaerobic bacteria. METHODS: Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using the broth microdilution method. The following bacterial species were collected: vancomycin-sensitive (VS) Enterococci species, vancomycin-resistant Enterococci species (VRE), Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus anginosus, Bacteroides species, Clostridioides difficile, Clostridium innocuum, Clostridium perfringens, Parabacteroides distasonis, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia...

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has achieved durable response in patients with hematological malignancies, however, therapy-associated multisystem toxicities are commonly observed. Here, we systematically analyzed CAR-T-related gastrointestinal adverse events (GAEs) using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between January 2017 and December 2021. Disproportionality analyses were performed using reporting odds ratios (ROR) and information component (IC)...

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is associated with major morbidity. There may be a link between the gut microbiome and an individual's overall immune system. A Clostridium difficile infection portends poor gut microbiome health and has been previously associated with increased 90-day complication rates in total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a previous history of C. difficile infection within two years of undergoing THA on PJI within two years postoperatively...

Amino acid-fermenting Clostridia have undesirable effects in agricultural systems, which can be mitigated by antibiotics, but resistance necessitates alternatives. Here, we demonstrate the efficacy of cannabidiol on growth and ammonia inhibition of five agriculturally relevant Clostridia: Clostridium sporogenes, Peptostreptococcusspp., Clostridioides difficile, Acetoanaerobium sticklandii, and Clostridium aminophilum.

Clostridioides ( Clostridium ) difficile is an enteric pathogen of several mammalian species including man, frequently involving nosocomial resurgence, following oral administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics, but also with human-to-human infection occurring, and neonatal pigs with zoonotic transmission. To date, the immune response to C . difficile has mostly focused on neutrophils and cytokine/chemokines, particularly in human infection. The neonatal pig is now recognized as a valuable model for human infection...

Reactive arthritis (RA) is the development of a sterile inflammatory arthritis usually associated with a previously known infection, most commonly from the gastrointestinal or urogenital tract. The diagnosis is clinical, based on the presence of acute oligoarticular arthritis of larger joints developing within two to four weeks of the infection. However, in some cases where the infection is not clear, the diagnosis is a challenge, like in the case presented here. We must always rule out past infections as a cause of arthritis by directly asking about the presence of symptomatology associated with it, presented in the past few weeks...

Cefazolin is the most common antibiotic used for prophylaxis in obstetrics and gynecology. Among those with a penicillin allergy, alternative antibiotics are often chosen for prophylaxis given fears of cross-reactivity between penicillin and cefazolin. Alternative antibiotics in this setting are associated with adverse sequalae including surgical site infection, induction of bacterial resistance, higher costs to the healthcare system, and possible Clostridium difficile infection. Given the difference in R1 side chains between the penicillin and cefazolin, cefazolin use is safe and should be recommended for penicillin allergic patients including those who experience IgE-mediated reactions such as anaphylaxis...

PURPOSE: Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of mortality in children living in developing countries. The etiology of acute diarrhea in each healthcare center varies depending on place, time, and population. This study aimed to identify pathogen patterns in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and non-HIV children suffering from acute diarrhea, using multiplex real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in an Indonesian tertiary hospital. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr...

The relationship between pet and owner has already been studied in several studies. Reviewing and summarizing studies on human and pet microbiota and their effects due to keeping pets is the purpose of the current study. Microbiota of the gut, oral cavity, and skin are unique to each individual, and this is also true of their pets (cats and dogs). Microbiota homeostasis is essential for the health of pets and their owners. Dysbiosis or imbalances in the microbiota can increase the risk of disorder progressions such as IBD or Clostridium difficile infections, among others...

We present the case of a male with end-stage diabetic nephropathy on haemodialysis who initially presented with acute-on-chronic digital ulceration. While awaiting vascular intervention, he became septic with abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Flexible sigmoidoscopy confirmed pseudomembranous colitis secondary to Clostridium difficile. Blood cultures grew Parabacteroides distasonis, a Gram-negative gut anaerobe. Enterobacter cloacae, another Gram-negative anaerobic gut bacilli, was grown in colonic cultures and swabs of the digital ulcers...

OBJECTIVES: To determine if a multi-disciplinary institutional protocol can optimize the time to antibiotic (Abx) administration for open fractures (openFx) and improve compliance with the administration of Abx prophylaxis during trauma activation. METHODS: Design: Retrospective pre-post study design. SETTING: Single Level II Trauma Center. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA: All patients that triggered a trauma activation with suspected openFx and were treated according to the institutional single antibiotic regimen were eligible for inclusion...

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality simulation (VRS) is an innovative modality in nursing professional development that has the potential to affect patient outcomes. METHOD: An experimental cluster randomized controlled trial was performed with RNs on two inpatient units at a large academic health system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of VRS compared with traditional education on Clostridium difficile rates. Return on investment of nursing professional development activities was also measured to support decision-making and resource allocation...

AIM: Clostridium difficile infection is a cause of increased morbidity and mortality in hospitals, particularly in patients with cancer pathology. There are several factors favouring the development of Clostridium difficile infection among cancer patients, including age, exposure to antibiotic and proton pump inhibitors therapy, and chemotherapy. This study was conducted to observe the prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection after the reversal of ileostomy loop for rectal cancer surgery, which were initially operated either open or laparoscopic...

BACKGROUND: Obesity worsens various gastrointestinal pathologies. While bariatric surgery ameliorates obesity, it substantially modifies the gastrointestinal system depending on surgery type, with limited data on subsequent impact on obesity-related gastrointestinal admissions. METHODS: Using the 2012-2014 Nationwide Readmission Database, we included individuals with obesity who received vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), or hernia repair (HR-control surgery)...

BACKGROUND: Meat and meat products are introduced as one of the frequent sources of Clostridioides difficile . We aimed to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of C. difficile isolates in meat and meat products using a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A literature search was performed in the primary international and bibliographic databases such as MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science to achieve all articles related to the prevalence and antibiotic resistance rates from 2007 to 2022...