Clostridium difficile infection as a cause of severe sepsis.
Although colitis is often seen in critically all patients who have received multiple broad-spectrum antibiotics, there are no reports describing severe sepsis as a result of Clostridium difficile infection. We describe three cases of severe sepsis with local intestinal Clostridium difficile infection as the only identifiable etiology. The mechanism of severe sepsis may be a derangement of the gastrointestinal barrier function. This could result in absorption of microbes or endotoxin or activation of inflammatory cascades in the submucosa of the intestine or liver.
Lowenkron
S E
SE
Department of Medicine, State University of New York, USA.
Waxner
J
J
Khullar
P
P
Ilowite
J S
JS
Niederman
M S
MS
Fein
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018988:Bacterial Translocation; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000502:physiology; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008297:Male; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*