C. Difficile

C. Difficile is a bacteria found in soil and other natural environments. It can also live in your gut or bowel along with many other kinds of bacteria.

What is C. Difficile disease?

Antibiotics used to treat infections kill many of the good bowel bacteria and allow C. Difficile to grow causing irritation of the bowel and diarrhea. This can happen with antibiotics you have taken at home or while you were in the hospital. C. Diffcile can also cause colitis (an inflammation of the colon).

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can include watery diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain or tenderness, loss of appetite and nausea.

How is C. Difficile treated?

Treatment depends on how sick you are. People with mild symptoms may not need treatment. For more severe disease, your doctor will order antibiotics. If you were already taking an antibiotic for another infection, your health-care professional might have you stop taking the antibiotic that caused the infection if they think it’s safe to do so. For severe diarrhea, you also may be given fluids to prevent dehydration to make sure you have the right amount of minerals (electrolytes) in your blood. 

How to prevent spread?

As a safety measure in hospital, staff will provide your care using special precautions to prevent the spread of the infection to other patients. You may be moved to a new room and your activities outside your room may be restricted. A sign may be put on your door to remind people who come into your room on how to stop the spread of infection. Health-care providers entering your room may wear a gown and gloves. Everyone must clean their hands when they enter and exit your room, including you!

Can my family catch C. Difficile?

Healthy people like your family and friends who are not taking antibiotics are at very low risk of getting this infection, especially if they clean their hands well.

What should I do if I’m still having diarrhea at home?

Practice good hand hygiene. Clean your hands often with soap and water. Soap and water are the best way to clean your hands because it’s more effective in stopping the spread of germs that cause diarrhea. Visit our webpage on Hand Hygiene for more information.

Keep bathroom surfaces clean and tidy. This includes toilet seats, flush handles, taps, counter tops, and door knobs. 

Make sure you complete all medications prescribed by your doctor. Do not use any medicine from the drugstore that will stop or slow down your diarrhea. If diarrhea persists or comes back, contact your doctor. 

Is it safe for people to visit me?

Yes, it’s safe for family and friends to visit you as long as they clean their hands well before and after they visit.

C. Difficile Rates