C Diff bacteria is common in the intestines of many people but can exist there without causing illness for months and years. It can find it’s way into the environment when those suffering from a C Diff infection experience diarrhea. The spores can find their way onto local surfaces and survive for weeks or months. They are also hard to clean away with conventional disinfectants.
C Diff bacteria infections are often sparked by antibiotic treatment for other illnesses. This will often kill the ‘friendly’ bacteria that have been keeping the c. difficile in check. In paractical terms this means that c diff bacteria infections are most often a problem for the elderly who will often be medicated for a variety of conditions. There is hope of a cure however
An international team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam has developed a vaccine based on a carbohydrate against the Clostridium difficile bacterium, which is known to cause serious gastrointestinal diseases mainly in hospitals. The sugar-based vaccine elicited a specific and effective immune response in mice. Moreover, the scientists have also discovered strong indications that the substance can stimulate the human immune system to form antibodies against the bacterium.