Sandbox cdi
| Clostridium difficile infection |
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Dos and Don'ts |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Clostridium difficile infection is the most common infectious cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Clinical presentation ranges across a broad spectrum from asymptomatic carriage, to diarrheal illness, to complicated disease hallmarked by pseudomembranous colitis, toxic megacolon, or bowel perforation. Diagnosis is established by the presence of clinical features coupled with positive stool tests or endoscopic findings. Therapeutic approach and antibiotic choice should be stratified according to severity of disease and risk of recurrence.
Diagnostic Criteria
Each of the following criteria must be present to fulfill the case definition for C. difficile infection:
- The presence of diarrhea, defined as passage of 3 or more unformed stools in 24 or fewer consecutive hours AND
- A stool test positive for the presence of C. difficile organisms, toxins, or genes OR colonoscopic or histopathologic findings demonstrating pseudomembranous colitis.