Antibiotics not a prerequisite for C. difficile infections: study
07.10.2008 17:09
Health
- Source: cbc.ca
Hospitals are not the only place that people come down with C. difficile, and antibiotics aren't always linked to the infection, according to a new study that challenges conventional thinking. Clostridium difficile bacteria may attack the intestines, and some strains produce toxins that can cause severe diarrhea and death from dehydration. It is usually picked up in hospitals and can flourish when a patient takes certain antibiotics or is recovering from bowel surgery. 'What we're saying is if patients, particularly elderly patients, who have any sort of bowel disorder present with severe diarrhea, still test them for C. diff even if you don't get a history that they've been in a hospital or that they've taken antibiotics in the recent past.'— Dr. Sandra DialIn Tuesday's issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Dr. Sandra Dial, an intensive care physician at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal and her colleagues said they found nearly 53 per cent of those who got C. difficile had not taken antibiotics in the 45 days before they were hospitalized for the infection. The study looked at 836 people aged 65 or older in Montreal who had not been in hospital for at least 90 days before being admitted for C. difficile infection. "So what we're saying is if patients, particularly elderly patients, who have any sort of bowel disorder present with severe diarrhea, still test them for C. diff even if you don't get a history that they've been in a hospital or that they've taken antibiotics in the recent past," Dial said. "At the same, if people need to take antibiotics because they have an infection, they need to take the antibiotics." Risks for seniorsThe team found similar results when they researched a patient database in the United Kingdom: C. difficile was not exclusively associated with antibiotics, and could be transmitted among people living in the community, rather than just in hospital. The infection seems to occur most often in hospital because it is easier to transmit there, given that patients are already ill, kept in close proximity and are often given antibiotics, the researchers said. When people, particularly seniors, pick up C. diff outside of hospitals, it may be because they have a weakened immune system, underlying bowel disease, or fewer beneficial flora in the intestines that help keep C. difficile levels in check, Dial said. Researchers still need to determine whether C. difficile infections are occurring in younger people in the community without those risk factors, Dr. Ed Kuijper and Prof. Jaap van Dissel of Leiden University in the Netherlands said in a journal commentary. Dial agreed, saying she hopes the findings will encourage other researchers to challenge the current understanding of C. difficile. With files from the Canadian PressStory Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: SMLXL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACKRelatedInternal LinksFAQs: C. difficileExternal LinksC. difficile and patterns of antibiotic use study, Canadian Medical Association JournalC. difficile commentary, CMAJ(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window) Health HeadlinesAntibiotics not a prerequisite for C. difficile infections: studyHospitals are not the only place that people come down with C. difficile, and antibiotics aren't always linked to the infection, according to a new study that challenges conventional thinking.U.S. drug companies say no cold medicines for kids under 4Children under four should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold remedies, drug companies said Tuesday in a concession to pediatricians who doubt the drugs work in kids and worry about their safety.Pneumonia vaccine halves heart attack risk: studyThe pneumonia vaccine not only prevents the bacterial infection but the shot also seems to dramatically lower the risk of heart attacks in adults, a new Canadian study suggests.Cancer inquiry will help improve lab work far beyond St. John's: expert The mistakes revealed at Newfoundland and Labrador's breast cancer inquiry could have happened at any lab, and are a lesson for care providers, a U.S. expert says. Fans may help prevent SIDSUsing a fan or opening a window could reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome by improving ventilation, researchers suggest. Health FeaturesIN DEPTHNobel PrizeFrom Alfred's willIN DEPTHFood additivesPreservation with a risk?HEALTHPsychologyInside the endurance athlete's mindVIEWPOINTHeather MallickOn controversy, democracy and e-mailHEALTHTuberculosisAnatomy of a killerCHILD PSYCHOLOGYPoliticians' behaviourHow do we explain it to our kids?People who read this also read …
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