C.difficile (And Pseudomembranous Colitis)

Question	Answer
Role	Common indicator of infection control in hospitals
Source	Human Gut
Host Immunity	If host is receiving broad spectrum antibiotics
Symptoms	Loose, smelly, bloody stools
Disease Caused	Pseudomembranous Colitis
Virulence Factors	Toxins A, B & Binary
Toxin A- Method of Action	Acts on apic side, increases gap between cells so toxin B can enter
Toxin B & A- Effect	Recruit neutrophils and kills cells (cytotoxic)
Pseudomembranous Colitis- Effect	Exaggerated inflammatory response
Pseudomembranous Colitis- Pathology	Pseudomembranes form in gut, made of dead leukocytes and epithelial cells
Pseudomembranous Colitis- Diagnosis	Stool sample (though C.difficile is hard to culture, look at cytopathic effect on cells)
Pseudomembranous Colitis- Diagnosis (ELISA/PCR)	PCR is more effective, but most labs use ELISA assays
Pseudomembranous Colitis- Treatment	Stop broad spectrum Antibiotics, start using C.difficile specific ones (also increase infection control practices)

Resource summary

	Created by gina_evans0312 about 10 years ago