Pseudomembranous colitis what is it

Seek urgent specialist advice, which may include surgery. Antibiotics that specialists may initially offer are:. There is insufficient evidence of any benefit with probiotic therapy as an adjunct to antibiotic therapy for C. There is no evidence to support the use of probiotics alone in the treatment of C. NICE criteria for a diagnosis of severe colitis [ 11 ] :. The number of stools may be a less reliable indicator of severity. Complications of severe C. Extraintestinal manifestations are rare and include [ 7 ] :.

Infect Immun. Print Jun BMC Infect Dis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. Epub Mar Tleyjeh IM, Bin Abdulhak AA, Riaz M, et al ; Association between proton pump inhibitor therapy and clostridium difficile infection: a contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One. Epub Dec 7. Clostridioides difficile: guidance, data and analysis ; Public Health England. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. J Am Med Dir Assoc. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Jabbar U, Leischner J, Kasper D, et al ; Effectiveness of alcohol-based hand rubs for removal of Clostridium difficile spores from hands.

Antimicrobial stewardship: systems and processes for effective antimicrobial medicine use ; NICE Guidelines August For the past two days I've had pain in my lower abdomen as well as the right side. However, even with prompt diagnosis and treatment, pseudomembranous colitis can be life-threatening.

Possible complications include:. In addition, pseudomembranous colitis may sometimes return, days or even weeks after apparently successful treatment. To help prevent the spread of C. If you have a friend or family member in a hospital or nursing home, don't be afraid to remind caregivers to follow the recommended precautions. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version.

This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Colon and rectum Open pop-up dialog box Close. Colon and rectum The colon, also called the large intestine, is a long, tube-like organ in your abdomen. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Sartelli M, et al. World Journal of Emergency Surgery. Feldman M, et al. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Donskey CJ. Clostridiodes difficile formerly Clostridium difficle infection.

Kelly CP, Khanna S. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea and clostridioides difficile infection. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease.

Clin Infect Dis. PMID: pubmed. Updated by: Bradley J. Editorial team. Pseudomembranous colitis. This infection is a common cause of diarrhea after antibiotic use. Health care providers in the hospital may pass this bacteria from one person to another.

Risk factors include: Older age Antibiotic use Use of medicines that weaken the immune system such as chemotherapy medicines Recent surgery History of pseudomembranous colitis History of ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. Symptoms include: Abdominal cramps mild to severe Bloody stools Fever Urge to have a bowel movement Watery diarrhea often 5 to 10 times per day. Exams and Tests.