[Six years evaluation of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea].
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.
Ercis
Serpil
S
Hacettepe Universitesi Tip Fakültesi, Mikrobiyoloji ve Klinik Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dali, Ankara.
Ergin
Alper
A
Hasçelik
Gülşen
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; C041348:tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile