Clostridium difficile infection

Abstract

Clostridium difficile is a rod-shaped, Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium which produces spores that enable it to survive in the environment for prolonged periods (Fig 1). Although first isolated in 1935, it was identified as the causal agent of antibiotic associated diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis only in the 1970s. C. difficile-associated disease (CDAD) has become an increasingly important nosocomial infection in the UK and throughout the western world over recent years (Fig 2). In addition to morbidity and mortality, CDAD imposes a huge economic burden on the health services.

More information

Identifiers

ORCID for Tristan Clark: orcid.org/0000-0001-6026-5295

Catalogue record

Export record