Clostridium difficile bacteremia, Taiwan.
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.
Lee
Nan-Yao
NY
National Cheng Kung University Hospital and Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan.
Huang
Yu-Tsung
YT
Hsueh
Po-Ren
PR
Ko
Wen-Chien
WC
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
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008795:Metronidazole; D014640:Vancomycin