title: Clostridium difficile bacteremia, Taiwan.
abstract: To determine clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with Clostridium difficile bacteremia (CDB), we identified 12 patients with CDB in 2 medical centers in Taiwan; all had underlying systemic diseases. Five had gastrointestinal diseases or conditions, including pseudomembranous colitis (2 patients); 4 recalled diarrhea, but only 5 had recent exposure to antimicrobial drugs. Ten available isolates were susceptible to metronidazole and vancomycin. Five isolates had C. difficile toxin A or B. Of 5 patients who died, 3 died of CDB. Of 8 patients treated with metronidazole or vancomycin, only 1 died, and all 4 patients treated with other drugs died (12.5% vs. 100%; p = 0.01). C. difficile bacteremia, although uncommon, is thus associated with substaintial illness and death rates.
authors.affiliation: National Cheng Kung University Hospital and Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Nan-Yao
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yu-Tsung
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Po-Ren
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: Wen-Chien
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008795:Metronidazole; D014640:Vancomycin