What if I have C diff?

What if I have C diff?

What if I have symptoms? Is C. diff contagious? Can I get C. diff again? C. diff (also known as Clostridioides difficile or C. difficile) is a germ (bacterium) that causes severe diarrhea and colitis (an inflammation of the colon). It’s estimated to cause almost half a million infections in the United States each year.

What is Clostridium diff?

C. diff is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea and more serious intestinal conditions such as colitis. You may see it called other names – Clostridioides difficile (the new name), Clostridium difficile (an older name), and C. difficile. It causes close to half a million illnesses each year. What causes C. diff infections?

How does C diff spread?

C. diff spreads when people touch food, surfaces, or objects that are contaminated with feces (poop) from a person who has C. diff. Who is at risk for C. diff infections?

Can antibiotics cause C diff to flare up?

In this Article. You take antibiotics to knock out a bacterial infection. But for some people, these drugs can trigger a potentially life-threatening infection caused by a type of bacteria called clostridium difficile, or C. diff. It can cause colitis, a serious inflammation of the colon.

What are the tests for Clostridium difficile (C diff) infection?

If C. difficile infection is suspected, your doctor will order one or more laboratory tests of a stool sample. These tests identify either the toxins or strains of the bacteria that produce toxins.

What are the chances of reinfection of C diff?

Approximately 25% of people treated for C. difficile infection get sick again, either because the initial infection never went away or because they’ve been reinfected with a different strain of the bacteria. The risk increases with each C. difficile infection episode and exceeds 50% after three or more infections.