How does C Diff make you ill?

How does c diff make you ill? The actions of antibiotics taken for other conditions can change your gut bacteria and allow toxic c.difficile to attack your stomach cell linings.

Where does it come from?

  • C.Difficile is found in the soil, in animals and the food chain.
  • It often enters our houses through the dust on our feet.
  • It often enters our bodies via the mouth.
  • It is transported there by the hand which has often picked it up from a surface.
  • The deadlier strains may have spread out from our hospitals into the community

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How does c diff make you ill? The actions of antibiotics taken for other conditions can change your gut bacteria and allow toxic c.difficile to attack your stomach cell linings.

Where does it come from?

  • C.Difficile is found in the soil, in animals and the food chain.
  • It often enters our houses through the dust on our feet.
  • It often enters our bodies via the mouth.
  • It is transported there by the hand which has often picked it up from a surface.
  • The deadlier strains may have spread out from our hospitals into the community

How does c diff make you ill – The bacteria

  • C difficile bacteria can be found in human excretment. It lives in the large bowel (colon).
  • Some C. difficile bacteria produce toxins that can cause diarrhea.
  • It can also change to a tougher, harder to kill spore.
  • Spores can survive hot and cold temperatures and are resistant to the action of many chemicals, including the  alcohol-based hand sanitizers often found in hospitals.
  • Because they then ‘hang around’ the spores can infect others

How does c diff make you ill – The infection

  • A healthy large bowel has many bacteria.
  • Not all of them are destructive and in many cases they stop c difficile from growing if a person is a carrier of the bacteria.
  • Antibiotic treatment for other conditions can sometimes kill the bacteria that are holding C difficile in check.
  • If the C. difficile strains in a persons stomach are the type that produce toxins, these toxins may make you sick by attacking the mucus and lining of the stomach and intestine.  Dead cells and other toxic elements cluster together in destructive islands of infection.
  • The diarrhea and other symptoms that you may develop in these situations are called Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD)
  • (Not all diarrhea while taking antibiotics is caused by C. difficile.)

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Other Important C Difficile Pages

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Last Updated on November 22, 2015

9 thoughts on “How does C Diff make you ill?”

  1. The FDA sought to more or less close down the Fecal transplant route. There was a strong backlash and they relaxed their ruling but the hospitals still need to demonstrate it is as a last resort. Many feel it should be the first line treatment but there will need to be more safety protocols in place before that happens.

    Reply
  2. I was tested for c.diff because my father had it and I was caring for him. It surprised me when I found that I tested positive since I do not have diahrea, cramping or fever; however I am very bloated. At the same time I was being treated for a possible flare-up of diverticultis and put on cipro and flagyl. Is it still possible that I have c.diff or should I be retested?

    Reply
  3. My friend is convinced she has cdif. she has had stool tests more than once in the hospital but can it go un noticed? she hasnt got diareah either.how long can cdiff be present in your body before it takes action? can you die from it?

    Reply
    • If there are no symptoms and the tests are negative then she is unlikely to have an active infection. C diff is carried by many without ill effect for decades. It can kill you but generally only when you are very sick anyway with other conditions

      Dave
      cdifficile.org

      Reply
  4. i had cervical back surgery and contracted mine in hospital i have been on flagyl for 5 days and my urine is dark but i do not know if it is flagyl or kidneys i am 50 and this is awful ,i cannot drink or eat much due to my throat being swollen fr surgery and meds get caught in my throat and now cdiff.why do they give u antibiotics that do this to us

    Reply
  5. My friend has c-diff. She was on vancomycin for 6 months. She got tested and it is still positive. Her doctor told her to just leave it alone. She is 82 years old and also has a clos. bag.

    Reply
  6. I had been ill with C Diff for over six weeks. I had been hospitalized, and taken three sets of Vancocin. As a last resort, I did the FMT procedure at home with donor matter from my husband. I am feeling great with no recurrence of the C Diff. We spent $20 on buying the supplies to do the procedure at home in our own bathroom. BTW, I also eat one yogert everyday with Probiotics.

    Reply
    • Anne,
      You did this procedure at home? I need to know about this. I have never heard you can do this at home. I need more info. on this and what supplies you use to do this?
      Thanks
      Liz

      Reply
    • Do you know how you contracted c-dif? Also, if you do not mind, what is your age? Was wondering because Vancocin (or Vancomycin in my case) was prescribed for 30 days. First round of Vancomycin was for 14 days and upon the next positive test was prescribed for 30 more days. Have you had any follow up testing?

      Reply

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