Diseases & Conditions
Novel therapy for C. difficile infections
The average human gut harbors between 500 and 1,000 bacterial species, the majority of which reside in the large intestine. Most of these inhabitants are helpful — indeed, essential — serving functions like producing vitamin K or stimulating the immune system. When this "intestinal microbiome" is disrupted by infection, illness, or treatment with antibiotics, a person's ability to digest food can be impaired and overall health affected.
In this country, recurrent infections with Clostridium difficile bacteria are one of the main causes of this kind of intestinal distress. C. difficile (pronounced see dif-uh-SEAL) infects as many as 7,000 hospitalized Americans a day, and treatment of those infections is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. C. difficile competes for survival with other bacteria in the gut. Antibiotics are capable of killing many of its bacterial competitors, but often not C. difficile, which allows C. difficile to run wild.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
