People getting medical treatment may be vulnerable to clostridium difficile, also known as c diff. It is one of the most problematic infections in hospitals and other care settings.
C diff may have long lasting health consequences, and it can even be fatal. Here are some things that you should know about this serious illness.
How do people get c diff?
C diff bacteria generally originates from fecal matter. Traditional alcohol-based cleaning products do not kill it, so it is not easy to eliminate from surfaces.
In addition to hospital stays, antibiotics make people vulnerable to contracting c diff. Antibiotics kill the friendly bacteria that lives in a person’s gut, giving c diff free reign to germinate.
What are the symptoms?
A severe c diff infection causes intense stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea. It may also cause acute dehydration or sepsis. The symptoms are often recurring, and people may experience outbreaks every several weeks.
How can you treat it?
C diff can be very difficult to treat, which is why “difficile” is part of its name. The illness creates a biofilm in the intestinal tract and colon which is tough to permeate. Prescription medicine is the most effective treatment. Taking probiotics and avoiding processed foods can also help people recover.
People staying in a hospital need to be conscientious about the possibility of infection, and anyone taking antibiotics also needs to be wary. Physicians prescribing antibiotics rarely advise patients about the risks. Ultimately, it is important to be aware of the risks involved with in-patient treatment or prescription antibiotics in order to avoid this dangerous illness.