Gourt > Health > Conditions and Diseases > Infectious Diseases > Bacterial > Clostridial > Pseudomembranous Colitis
Pseudomembranous colitis is an infection of the colon caused by the bacterium Clostridium difficile. The illness is characterized by offensive-smelling diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. It can be severe, causing toxic megacolon, and even fatal.
In most cases the patient, a patient presenting with pseudomembranous colitis has recently been on antibiotics. Antibiotics disturb the normal bowel bacterial flora that generally keep the bacteria Clostridium difficile under control. Clindamycin is the antibiotic classically associated with this disorder, but any antibiotic can cause the condition. Diabetics and the elderly are also at increased risk, although half of cases are not associated with risk factors.
Treatment
The disease is usually treated with metronidazole. Oral vancomycin is an alternative drug. Occasionally metronidazole has been associated with the development of pseudomembranous colitis. In these cases metronidazole is still effective treatment, since the cause of the colitis is not the antibiotic, but rather the change in bacterial flora from a previous round of antibiotics. More on [ Pseudomembranous colitis ]
Pseudomembranous colitis is a classic side effect associated with the antibiotic Clindamycin. Gross pathology: http://bit.ly/93hg8s
score95com (Score95.com) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 23:22:22 -0000
Pseudomembranous colitis is a classic side effect associated with the antibiotic Clindamycin. Gross pathology: http://bit.ly/93hg8s
Clostridium Difficile Support Group - For sufferers, includes a bulletin board, chat room, useful links, doctor locator, case histories, treatments and the latest treatment news.
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Clostridium Difficile Support Group and Community - Details about this Yahoo club which offers the latest news, discussion and chats with other sufferers. Join, chat, post and read messages from this site.
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CPS: Clostridium difficile - Pathogen or pest? - Discusses the role of the bacteria in pseudomembranous colitis and diarrhea in children.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Pseudomembranous colitis - Includes cause, symptoms, prevention, and treatment.
Postgraduate Medicine: Recurrent Clostridium difficile Colitis - Research paper on the disease, its cause, prevention, and treatment.
