C. Difficile Getting Tougher to Treat

U.S. researchers say a new, more virulent strain of C. difficile may be spreading in hospitals.

Health experts, reporting in the April issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch, say the bacterium is causing illnesses that are more severe and harder to treat.

The report said certain strains of C. difficile produce toxins that attack the colon, causing symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to severe colitis. While antibiotics kill off many types of harmful bacteria, they can also wipe out the good bugs in the large intestine that keep C. difficile in check.

Older patients who spend more time in hospitals and are treated with antibiotics for long periods are most at risk, the report said.