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Clostridium Difficile; also referred to as CDIFF and pseudomembranous colitis, is inflammation of the colon caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile.

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To prevent CDIFF in facilities doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers should clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub before and after caring for every patient.
To prevent CDIFF at home patients should monitor and tell their doctor if they are on antibiotics for several weeks/months at a time, because antibiotics will kill the natural flora in the intestines making them more susceptible to contracting CDIFF.

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Treatment includes antibiotics such as vancomycin. In rare cases, fecal transplant or surgery may be needed.

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Clostridium difficile caused almost half a million infections among patients in the United States in a single year, according to a study released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 29,000 patients died within 30 days of their initial diagnosis of CDIFF

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More than nine out of 10 hospital infections with CDIFF occur in people who have received antibiotic treatment. But community-acquired CDIFF does not depend on antibiotics. The risk is also higher for patients who receive multiple antibiotics and for patients who receive longer courses of antibiotic treatment. Other risk factors include: 65 year old or older, severe illness, nasogastric intubation, long hospital stay (particularly in long-term-care facilities).

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Colon caner patients are at risk for CDIFF because of all the medications they take due to the cancer. Colon cancer has personally affected my family. My dad had stage 4 colon cancer 2 years ago. When he finished chemo and radiation he had surgery to remove part of his colon, after surgery he had CDIFF 5 times. CDIFF was harder on his body than any of the cancer treatments, each time it seemed to be a little worse. He was on a regimen of medications to try and regain the normal flora in his body, but each time he got CDIFF it was from the antibiotics he was on to prevent an infection from surgery.

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Watery diarrhea

Abdominal cramping and pain, which may be mild to severe

Rapid heart rate

Fever

Blood or pus in the stool

Nausea

Dehydration

Loss of appetite

Weight loss

Swollen abdomen

Kidney failure

Increased white blood cell count

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Spores from CDIFF bacteria are passed in feces and spread to food, surfaces, and objects when people who are infected don't wash their hands thoroughly.