• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.517-522
• /
• 2015

The objective of this study is to report the clinical application of Korean and Western medicine on chronic diarrhea and Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea. Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea is usually triggered by using antibiotics. This patient also took some antibiotics and she started to suffer diarrhea diagnosed as chronic and Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea. She had suffered from diarrhea over 10 times per day. We checked changes of numbers, total volume of defecations and stool form. We treated the patient with acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine and metronidazole. After treatment, diarrhea was stopped and the patient defecated normal form stool. According to this study, acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine and metronidazole was effective for 1 case of stroke patient with chronic and Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.78-84
• /
• 2010

Background: Clostridium difficile is the primary reason of the nosocomial diarrhea. The antimicrobial therapy plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD). Although nearly all classes of antimicrobial agents have been associated with CDAD, clindamycin and the third-generation cephalosporins have traditionally been considered to the greatest risk factor. Recent studies have also implicated fluoroquinolones as high-risk agents due to increasing use of the agents. This study was to determine the incidence and the risk factors of CDAD related to the administered antibiotics and to assess the therapeutic regimen of metronidazole or vancomycin based on the C. difficile toxin assay Methods: A retrospective study was performed in patients with Clostridium difficile toxin assay at I Hospital (Incheon, South Korea) during the period from January 2007 through December 2007. Administrative, laboratory, and pharmacy data were collected from Electronic Medical Databases. Results: The analysis included 129 reported C.difficile toxin assay results, with 42 positive cases and 87 negative cases. Significant antibiotic risk factors for CDAD included the use of the fourth-generation cephalosporinse (OR=5.97, 95% CI 1.37-25.98, P=0.017). Administration of metronidazole was protective against CDAD (OR=0.30, 95% CI 0.12-0.74, P=0.009). Prolonged antimicrobial therapy has been associated with an increased risk of CDAD. The third-generation cephalosporins (OR=3.81, 95% CI 1.08-13.41, P=0.037) and aminoglycoside (OR=5.50, 95% CI 1.43-21.10, P=0.013) demonstrated greater risk for CDAD over 15 days than 8days or less days of treatment duration. Conclusions: The fourth and third generation cephalosporin, aminglycoside were the significant risk factors compared with other antibiotics, whereas metronidazole appears to be protective. The longer duration of antiobiotic use increased CDAD.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.259-266
• /
• 2010

Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) is an important nosocomial infectious diarrhea and is associated with antibiotic use. Recently, incidence of C. difficile has been increasing in hospitals. A total of 1,329 stool specimens were examined from January, 2005 to December, 2008. This study analyzed the incidence and clinical characteristics of C. difficile infections on them. Out of 1,329 stool specimens, 283 specimens showed toxin A/B positive, using EIA. The positive rate was 21.2%; with the highest incidence among and above the 70years old. On endoscopy, psedo membranous colitis was found in 57.7%, and 19.5% of patients were normal. Pathologic finding showed PMC in 26.8% of patients, AAC in 52.2%. C. difficile was associated with PMC, however, endoscopic and pathologic findings tests showed normal to PMC.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.214-221
• /
• 2018

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a rapidly emerging infection that may have devastating consequences. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is crucial for management and control. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of C. difficile associated diarrhea among hospitalized patients, and to compare different diagnostic laboratory methods for detection of toxin producing strains in clinical specimens. The study was conducted at a university hospital in Cairo during the period from May 2013 till June 2015. Subjects were under antibiotic therapy and presented with hospital-acquired diarrhea. Four hundred and sixty-five stool specimens were processed by different microbiological methods. C. difficile was recovered in culture in 51 of stool specimens. Of these, 86.3% to 98% were positive for toxin production by 2 different methods. This study showed that antibiotic intake is the major risk factor for development of hospital-acquired diarrhea. We evaluated different microbiological methods for diagnosis of C. difficile. We recommend the use of toxigenic culture as a gold standard for microbiological diagnosis of C. difficile.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2013

Probiotics are traditionally defined as viable microorganisms that have a beneficial effect in the prevention and treatment of pathologic conditions when they are ingested. Although there is a relatively large volume of literature that supports the use of probiotics to prevent or treat intestinal disorders, the scientific basis behind probiotic use has only recently been established, and clinical studies on this topic are just beginning to get published. Currently, the best studied probiotics are lactic acid bacteria, particularly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species. Other organisms used as probiotics in humans include Escherichia coli, Streptococcus sp., Enterococcus sp., Bacteroides sp., Bacillus sp., Propionibacterium sp., and various fungi, and some probiotic preparations contain more than one bacterial strain. Probiotic use for the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile induced intestinal disease as well as for other gastrointestinal disorders has been discussed in this review.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.77-82
• /
• 2017

Background: Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) is a leading cause of hospital-associated gastrointestinal illness. Risk factors for CDAD include advanced age, long-term admission, antibiotics, proton-pump inhibitor or $H_2$ blocker use and immunosuppression. The practice guideline of American Journal of Gastroenterology (2013) suggests metronidazole for the first-line therapy of mild-moderate CDAD as well as vancomycin for severe CDAD. MICU inpatients receiving stress ulcer prophylaxis and antibiotics are susceptible to nosocomial CDAD. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate occurrence and treatment of CDAD in MICU. Methods: Patients who were admitted to the MICU and had CDAD from August 2012 to August 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Of the 90 patients with CDAD, 20 patients (2.22%) had mild-moderate CDAD (16 received metronidazole and 4 received vancomycin therapy) and 70 patients (77.8%) had severe CDAD(54 received metronidazole and 16 received vancomycin therapy). Among the patients with mild- moderate CDAD, treatment with metronidazole or vancomycin resulted in same clinical cure in 50% of the patients (p=1.00). Among the patients with severe CDAD, treatment with metronidazole or vancomycin resulted in clinical cure in 40.7% and 50.0% of the patients, respectively (p=0.511). Clinical symptoms recurred in 7.4% of the severe CDAD patients treated with metronidazole and 6.3% of those treated with vancomycin(p=0.875). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that metronidazole and vancomycin are equally effective for the treatment of mild-moderate CDAD; however, vancomycin demonstrated higher clinical cure rate and lower recurrence rate for severe CDAD, although the difference was not statistically significant. For better clinical outcomes, appropriate medication use by disease severity is needed.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.228-236
• /
• 2011

배경: 약물로 인한 Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD)는 널리 알려져 있으며 우리나라에서 항생제와 프로톤 펌프 억제제 소모량을 고려할 때 질환 치료과정에서의 CDAD 발생빈도 및 CDAD 유발 이전에 투여한 약물의 사용빈도와 CDAD의 치료방법을 조사할 필요성이 있다. 방법: 경상대학교 병원에서 2011년 1월부터 6월까지의 입원환자를 대상으로 대변 독소 검사에 의해 CDAD로 판명된 환자의 성별, 연령분포, 질환명, 입원병동, 재발률을 조사하였으며 CDAD 판명이전에 투여한 약제 및 CDAD 판명후 치료약제를 조사하였다. 결과: 연구기간 동안 CDAD 대변 독소 검사 의뢰된 환자수는 1,500명이었으며 CDAD 양성은 111명(9.3%)이었고, 재발은 29명(26.1%)이었다. CDAD를 주소로 입원한 환자는 17명 (15.3%)이었고, 나머지는 입원기간 중에 발생하였다. CDAD 양성인 환자의 연령대는 60대에서 32.4% (36/111명) 이었고, 내과병동에서 34.2%를 나타내었고, 재발률은 외과계 병동에서 41.4%로 가장 높게 나타났다. CDAD 환자의 17% (19/111명)은 항암제 투여 동안 발생하였으며 CDAD 발생 전 사용약물로는 세팔로스포린계 항생제가 162회로 가장 빈번하게 사용 되었으며, 히스타민2 수용체길항제 107회, 스테로이드 82회, 비 스테로이드 항염제 79회, 프로톤 펌프 억제제 77회, 하제 59회, 항암제가 33회 처방되었다. CDAD 치료약제로는 8종의 약제가 241회 처방 되었으며 metronidazole이 99회로 가장 빈번하게 사용되었고, vancomycin이 37회로 나타났다. 결론: 입원환자에 있어서 CDAD양성은 특히 고령의 암환자가 많아 항암제 투여 시에는 CDAD 발생에 주의해야 할것으로 보인다. CDAD의 치료약제로는 metronidazole이 vancomycin 보다 많이 사용되는 것으로 나타났다.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.10-21
• /
• 2001

Background : The Clostridium difficile is the most important identifiable cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea and colitis, which lengthens hospital stay. Recently incidence of C. difficile has been increasing in an university hospital, and an intervention for prevention and control of C. difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) was in prompt need. Methods : Subjects were the patients in the neurosurgical intensive care unit(NCU) where C. difficile was most frequently isolated. To increase participation of various departments, we used the CQI method, because management of CDAD requires a wholistic approach including control of antibiotics, barrier precaution and environmental cleaning and disinfection. Duration of the CQI activities was 9 months from April to December 1999. Results : The identified problems were misuse and overuse of antibiotics, lack of consciousness of medical personnels and the possibility of transmission from the contaminated environment and tube feeding. Education for proper use of antibiotics and management of C. difficile infection, use of precaution stickers, supplement of handwashing equipments, emphasis on environmental disinfection, and the change of the process of tube feeding were done. The CDAD rate in NCU was significantly decreased after the CQI program (8.6 case per 1,000 patient days from January to April 1999 vs 4.8 from May to December 1999). The distribution of neurosurgical wards including NCU among the total number of isolated C. difficile from the clinical specimens dropped from 49.4% in January to April to 33,7% in May to December. The average hospital stay of the neurosurgical department changed from 19.6 days to 15.2 days. Also, the effect of the CQI activities for C. difficile may have affected the incidence of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE). Duration and dosage of certain antibiotics used in the NS department were decreased. The distribution of neurosurgical department in the number of VRE isolated patients declined from 18.4% to 11.1%. Conclusion : Infection control of resistant organisms such as C. difficile is likely to be successful when management of environmental contamination an collaborative efforts of decreasing the patients' risk factors such as antibiotics management and decreasing the length of hospital stay come simultaneously. For this work, related departments need to actively participate in the entire process under a common target through discussions for identifying problems and bringing up solutions. In this respect, making use of a CQI team is an efficient method of infection control for gathering participation and cooperation of related departments.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.41 no.5
• /
• pp.883-893
• /
• 2021

Clostridium difficile present in feces of food animals may contaminate their meats and act as a potential source of C. difficile infection (CDI) to humans. C. difficile resistance to antibiotics, its production of toxins and spores play major roles in the pathogenesis of CDI. This is the first study to evaluate C. difficile prevalence in retail raw animal meats, its antibiotics susceptibilities and toxigenic activities in Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia. Totally, 240 meat samples were tested. C. difficile was identified by standard microbiological and biochemical methods. Vitek-2 compact system confirmed C. difficile isolates were 15/240 (6.3%). Toxins A/B were not detected by Xpect C. difficile toxin A/B tests. Although all isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and metronidazole, variable degrees of reduced susceptibilities to moxifloxacin, clindamycin or tetracycline antibiotics were detected by Epsilon tests. C. difficile strains with reduced susceptibility to antibiotics should be investigated. Variability between the worldwide reported C. difficile contamination levels could be due to absence of a gold standard procedure for its isolation. Establishment of a unified testing algorithm for C. difficile detection in food products is definitely essential to evaluate the inter-regional variation in its prevalence on national and international levels. Proper use of antimicrobials during animal husbandry is crucial to control the selective drug pressure on C. difficile strains associated with food animals. Investigating the protective or pathogenic potential of non-toxigenic C. difficile strains and the possibility of gene transfer from certain toxigenic/ antibiotics-resistant to non-toxigenic/antibiotics-sensitive strains, respectively, should be worthy of attention.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.1163-1170
• /
• 2017

Clostridium difficile releases two exotoxins, toxin A and toxin B, which disrupt the epithelial cell barrier in the gut to increase mucosal permeability and trigger inflammation with severe diarrhea. Many studies have suggested that enteric nerves are also directly involved in the progression of this toxin-mediated inflammation and diarrhea. C. difficile toxin A is known to enhance neurotransmitter secretion, increase gut motility, and suppress sympathetic neurotransmission in the guinea pig colitis model. Although previous studies have examined the pathophysiological role of enteric nerves in gut inflammation, the direct effect of toxins on neuronal cells and the molecular mechanisms underlying toxin-induced neuronal stress remained to be unveiled. Here, we examined the toxicity of C. difficile toxin A against neuronal cells (SH-SY5Y). We found that toxin A treatment time- and dose-dependently decreased cell viability and triggered apoptosis accompanied by caspase-3 activation in this cell line. These effects were found to depend on the up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the subsequent activation of p38 MAPK and induction of $p21^{Cip1/Waf1}$. Moreover, the N-acetyl-$\text\tiny L$-cysteine (NAC)-induced down-regulation of ROS could recover the viability loss and apoptosis of toxin A-treated neuronal cells. These results collectively suggest that C. difficile toxin A is toxic for neuronal cells, and that this is associated with rapid ROS generation and subsequent p38 MAPK activation and $p21^{Cip1/Waf1}$ up-regulation. Moreover, our data suggest that NAC could inhibit the toxicity of C. difficile toxin A toward enteric neurons.