Clostridium Difficile News and Research

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Clostridium difficile is a type of bacterium found in human and animal waste. Clostridium difficile is a common cause of diarrhea that occurs in hospitals. It can also cause diarrhea or other intestinal disorders in patients treated with antibiotics.

Patients at high-risk for recurrent C. difficile with unnecessary antibiotic use

The impact of antibiotic misuse has far-reaching consequences in healthcare, including reduced efficacy of the drugs, increased prevalence of drug-resistant organisms, and increased risk of deadly infections. A new study featured in the February issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, found that many patients with Clostridium difficile infection (C. difficile) are prescribed unnecessary antibiotics, increasing their risk of recurrence of the deadly infection.

10 Jan 2013

New publication focuses on microbiome research in environmental, agricultural and biomedical areas

Two prominent microbiologists have launched a new peer-reviewed publication focusing on microbiome research in environmental, agricultural, and biomedical areas. Eric Wommack, from the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and Jacques Ravel, from the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Institute for Genome Sciences are the Editors-in-Chief of Microbiome, a BioMed Central (BMC) publication, which launched its first issue this week.

9 Jan 2013

New scoring system can help clinicians better identify non-ICU patients at risk for GI bleeding

Critically ill patients in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) are routinely prescribed acid-suppressive medications to reduce their risk of developing stress ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding, both of which can result from being in a stressful environment and from being intubated. Over the years, this routine practice has often been extended to patients outside the ICU, despite a lack of evidence that this population is at significant risk of these complications.

9 Jan 2013

Less is more when it comes to antibiotics for UTI in men

Research suggests that standard antibiotic prescribing for urinary tract infections in male patients may need to be reviewed, as currently recommended 7–14-day courses appear to be no more effective than shorter ones, and may increase the risk for antimicrobial resistant or Clostridium difficile infection.

17 Dec 2012

Contact precautions reduce number of visits by healthcare workers and outside visitors

The prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can help reduce patient morbidity and mortality, but a common prevention effort for patients with hard to treat infections known as contact precautions, can have positive and negative impacts on patient care.

12 Dec 2012

Researchers track emergence and global spread of healthcare-associated C. difficile

Researchers show that the global epidemic of Clostridium difficile 027/NAP1/BI in the early to mid-2000s was caused by the spread of two different but highly related strains of the bacterium rather than one as was previously thought. The spread and persistence of both epidemics were driven by the acquisition of resistance to a frontline antibiotic.

10 Dec 2012

IDSA guidelines describe best methods for diagnosis of prosthetic joint infections

Of the one million people each year who get hips and knees replaced, as many as 20,000 will get an infection in the new joint, a number that is expected to skyrocket in the next 20 years. Multispecialty physician teams need to work together to reduce disability, death and costs associated with the ever-growing number of these prosthetic joint infections, note the first guidelines on the topic being released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

9 Dec 2012

FDA designates two of Cubist’s Phase 3 antibiotic candidates

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated two of the company's Phase 3 antibiotic candidates, CXA-201 (ceftolozane/tazobactam) and CB-315, as Qualified Infectious Disease Products (QIDP).

6 Dec 2012

Less is more when it comes to antibiotics for UTI in men

6 Dec 2012

Tissue damage, disease severity in C. diff. infection associated with disruption of PPARγ pathway

Researchers in the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute have discovered how a common diarrhea-causing bacterium sends the body's natural defenses into overdrive, actually intensifying illness while fighting infection.

1 Dec 2012

Study of hospital-acquired infection yields potential therapeutic target

30 Nov 2012

Eisai announces FDA acceptance of AcipHex NDA for priority review

Eisai Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for priority review Eisai's New Drug Application (NDA) for AcipHex Delayed-Release Sprinkle Capsules 5mg and 10mg for the proposed indication of healing of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), maintenance of healing of GERD and improvement of symptoms of GERD in children 1 to 11 years of age.

30 Nov 2012

WellStar Health System implements Xenex’s room disinfection system

WellStar Health System was the first to implement and is the only health system in metro-Atlanta using Xenex Healthcare Services' room disinfection system in its patient and operating rooms. A "green," mercury-free technology, the Xenex system is the fastest, safest and most effective method for the advanced cleaning of hospital rooms, scientifically proven to destroy all major classes of microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs), such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile (C. diff).

29 Nov 2012

Abacus Diagnostica’s GenomEra C. difficile assay receives CE mark

Abacus Diagnostica Ltd announced that it has received the CE mark for the GenomEra C. difficile assay for the detection of toxin-producing Clostridium difficile directly from stool samples. C. difficile is the leading cause of infectious nosocomial diarrhea in Europe and North America.

19 Nov 2012

Metalloacid surfaces may be answer to hospital-acquired infections

Coating surfaces in metalloacids may help control the spread of hospital-acquired infections, suggest study findings.

14 Nov 2012

Loyola announces 2012 Junior and Senior Scientist of the Year during St. Albert's Day

Katherine L. Knight, PhD, one of the nation's leading immune system researchers, has been named 2012 Senior Scientist of the Year at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, FAHA, who is doing groundbreaking research on a protein that is critical for the normal functioning of the heart, has been named 2012 Junior Scientist of the Year.

7 Nov 2012

Xenex offers room disinfection devices to hospitals hit by Hurricane Sandy

Xenex Healthcare Services, the world leader in UV room disinfection systems, today announced it is making its room disinfection devices available to hospitals affected by Hurricane Sandy.

3 Nov 2012

Researchers figure out 3D shape of promising TB drug target

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have figured out the three-dimensional shape of the protein responsible for creating unique bonds within the cell wall of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. The bonds make the bacteria resistant to currently available drug therapies, contributing to the alarming rise of these super-bacteria throughout the world.

26 Oct 2012

CUMC researchers develop first true mouse model of typhoid infection

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have created the first true mouse model of typhoid infection. The development promises to advance the study of typhoid and the creation of new vaccines against the infection, which remains a major health threat in developing countries.

26 Oct 2012

New method of oral vaccination could help boost immunity to TB, influenza and C. difficile

Scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London have developed a pioneering new method of oral vaccination which could help boost immunity to TB and influenza, as well as prevent C. difficile for which there is currently no vaccine.

25 Oct 2012

Clostridium Difficile News and Research

Further Reading

Patients at high-risk for recurrent C. difficile with unnecessary antibiotic use

New publication focuses on microbiome research in environmental, agricultural and biomedical areas

New scoring system can help clinicians better identify non-ICU patients at risk for GI bleeding

Less is more when it comes to antibiotics for UTI in men

Contact precautions reduce number of visits by healthcare workers and outside visitors

Researchers track emergence and global spread of healthcare-associated C. difficile

IDSA guidelines describe best methods for diagnosis of prosthetic joint infections

FDA designates two of Cubist’s Phase 3 antibiotic candidates

Less is more when it comes to antibiotics for UTI in men

Tissue damage, disease severity in C. diff. infection associated with disruption of PPARγ pathway

Study of hospital-acquired infection yields potential therapeutic target

Eisai announces FDA acceptance of AcipHex NDA for priority review

WellStar Health System implements Xenex’s room disinfection system

Abacus Diagnostica’s GenomEra C. difficile assay receives CE mark

Metalloacid surfaces may be answer to hospital-acquired infections

Loyola announces 2012 Junior and Senior Scientist of the Year during St. Albert's Day

Xenex offers room disinfection devices to hospitals hit by Hurricane Sandy

Researchers figure out 3D shape of promising TB drug target

CUMC researchers develop first true mouse model of typhoid infection

New method of oral vaccination could help boost immunity to TB, influenza and C. difficile

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

Managing vibration in IVF laboratories

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

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