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Clostridioides Difficile Infection
''Clostridioides difficile'' infection (CDI or C-diff), also known as ''Clostridium difficile'' infection, is a symptomatic infection due to the bacterial spores, spore-forming bacterium ''Clostridioides difficile''. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, fever, nausea, and abdominal pain. It makes up about 20% of cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Antibiotics can contribute to detrimental changes in gut microbiota; specifically, they decrease short-chain fatty acid absorption, which results in osmotic, or watery, diarrhea. Complications may include colitis#Infectious, pseudomembranous colitis, toxic megacolon, perforation of the colon, and sepsis. ''Clostridioides difficile'' infection is spread by bacterial spores found within feces. Surfaces may become contaminated with the spores, with further spread occurring via the hands of healthcare workers. Risk factors for infection include antibiotic or proton pump inhibitor use, hospitalization, hypoalbuminemia, other health pro ...
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Colitis
Colitis is swelling or inflammation Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function (Latin ''calor'', '' ... of the large intestine (colon (anatomy), colon). Colitis may be acute (medicine), acute and self-limited or chronic condition, long-term. It broadly fits into the category of digestive diseases. In a medical context, the label ''colitis'' (without qualification) is used if: * The cause of the inflammation in the colon is undetermined; for example, ''colitis'' may be applied to ''Crohn's disease'' at a time when the diagnosis is unknown, or * The context is clear; for example, an individual with ulcerative colitis is talking about their disease with a physician who knows the diagnosis. Signs and symptoms The sign (medicine), signs and symptoms of colitis are quite variable and dependent on the ca ...
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Fidaxomicin
Fidaxomicin, sold under the brand name Dificid (by Merck) among others, is the first member of a class of narrow spectrum macrocyclic antibiotic drugs called tiacumicins. It is a fermentation product obtained from the actinomycete '' Dactylosporangium aurantiacum'' subspecies ''hamdenesis''. Fidaxomicin is minimally absorbed into the bloodstream when taken orally, is bactericidal, and selectively eradicates pathogenic ''Clostridioides difficile'' with relatively little disruption to the multiple species of bacteria that make up the normal, healthy intestinal microbiota. The maintenance of normal physiological conditions in the colon may reduce the probability of recurrence of ''Clostridioides difficile'' infection. It is marketed by Merck, which acquired Cubist Pharmaceuticals in 2015, and had in turn bought the originating company, Optimer Pharmaceuticals. It is used for the treatment of ''Clostridioides difficile'' infection, which is also known as ''Clostridioides dif ...
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Colonisation (biology)
Colonisation or colonization is the spread and development of an organism in a new area or habitat. Colonization comprises the physical arrival of a species in a new area, but also its successful establishment within the local community. In ecology, it is represented by the symbol ''λ'' (lowercase lambda) to denote the long-term intrinsic growth rate of a population. Surrounding theories and applicable process have been introduced below. These include dispersal, colonisation-competition trade off and prominent examples that have been previously studied. One classic scientific model in biogeography posits that a species must continue to colonize new areas through its Biological life cycle, life cycle (called a ''taxon cycle'') in order to persist. Accordingly, colonisation and extinction are key components of island biogeography, a theory that has many applications in ecology, such as Metapopulation, metapopulations. Another factor included in this scientific model is the compet ...
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Stool Culture
A stool test is a medical diagnostic technique that involves the collection and analysis of fecal matter. Microbial analysis (culturing), microscopy and chemical tests are among the tests performed on stool samples. Collection Stool samples should be sent to the laboratory as soon as possible after collection and should not be refrigerated prior to by the laboratory. Visual examination The patient and/or health care worker in the office or at the bedside is able to make some important observations. * Color * Texture/consistency—formed * Classify type of feces (diagnostic triad for irritable bowel syndrome) based on Bristol stool scale Cancer screening Fecal occult blood test and fecal immunochemical test are the most common stool tests to diagnose many conditions that caused by bleeding in the gastrointestinal system, including colorectal cancer or stomach cancer. The American College of Gastroenterology has recommended the abandoning of gFOBT testing as a colorectal c ...
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Proton Pump Inhibitor
Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a class of medications that cause a profound and prolonged reduction of stomach acid production. They do so by irreversibly inhibiting the stomach's H+/K+ ATPase proton pump. The body eventually synthesizes new proton pumps to replace the irreversibly inhibited ones, a process driven by normal cellular turnover, which gradually restores acid production. Proton-pump inhibitors have largely superseded the H2-receptor antagonists, a group of medications with similar effects but a different mode of action, and heavy use of antacids. A potassium-competitive acid blocker (PCAB) revaprazan was marketed in Korea as an alternative to a PPI. A newer PCAB vonoprazan with a faster and longer lasting action than revaprazan, and PPIs has been marketed in Japan (2013), Russia (2021), and the US (2023). PPIs are among the most widely sold medications in the world. The class of proton-pump inhibitor medications is on the World Health Organization's List ...
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Antibiotic
An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting pathogenic bacteria, bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the therapy, treatment and antibiotic prophylaxis, prevention of such infections. They may either bactericide, kill or bacteriostatic agent, inhibit the growth of bacteria. A limited number of antibiotics also possess antiprotozoal activity. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses such as the ones which cause the common cold or influenza. Drugs which inhibit growth of viruses are termed antiviral drugs or antivirals. Antibiotics are also not effective against fungi. Drugs which inhibit growth of fungi are called antifungal drugs. Sometimes, the term ''antibiotic''—literally "opposing life", from the Greek language, Greek roots ἀντι ''anti'', "against" and βίος ''bios'', "life"—is broadly used to refer to any substance used against ...
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Feces
Feces (also known as faeces American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, or fæces; : faex) are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a relatively small amount of metabolic waste products such as bacterially-altered bilirubin and dead epithelial cells from the lining of the gut. Feces are discharged through the anus or cloaca during defecation. Feces can be used as fertilizer or soil conditioner in agriculture. They can also be burned as dry animal dung fuel, fuel or dried and used for wattle and daub, construction. Some medicinal uses have been found. In the case of human feces, fecal transplants or fecal bacteriotherapy are in use. Urine and feces together are called excretion, excreta. Characteristics The distinctive odor of feces is due to skatole, and thiols (sulfur-containing compounds), as well as amines and carboxylic acids. Sk ...
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Colitis
Colitis is swelling or inflammation Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function (Latin ''calor'', '' ... of the large intestine (colon (anatomy), colon). Colitis may be acute (medicine), acute and self-limited or chronic condition, long-term. It broadly fits into the category of digestive diseases. In a medical context, the label ''colitis'' (without qualification) is used if: * The cause of the inflammation in the colon is undetermined; for example, ''colitis'' may be applied to ''Crohn's disease'' at a time when the diagnosis is unknown, or * The context is clear; for example, an individual with ulcerative colitis is talking about their disease with a physician who knows the diagnosis. Signs and symptoms The sign (medicine), signs and symptoms of colitis are quite variable and dependent on the ca ...
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Gut Microbiota
Gut microbiota, gut microbiome, or gut flora are the microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, that live in the digestive tracts of animals. The gastrointestinal metagenome is the aggregate of all the genomes of the gut microbiota. The gut is the main location of the human microbiome. The gut microbiota has broad impacts, including effects on colonization, resistance to pathogens, maintaining the intestinal epithelium, metabolizing dietary and pharmaceutical compounds, controlling immune function, and even behavior through the gut–brain axis. The microbial composition of the gut microbiota varies across regions of the digestive tract. The colon contains the highest microbial density of any human-associated microbial community studied so far, representing between 300 and 1000 different species. Bacteria are the largest and to date, best studied component and 99% of gut bacteria come from about 30 or 40 species. About 55% of the dry mass of feces ...
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Antibiotic-associated Diarrhea
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) results from an imbalance in the colonic microbiota caused by antibiotics. Microbiotal alteration changes carbohydrate metabolism with decreased short-chain fatty acid absorption and an osmotic diarrhea as a result. Another consequence of antibiotic therapy leading to diarrhea is an overgrowth of potentially pathogenic organisms such as ''Clostridioides difficile''. It is defined as frequent loose and watery stools with no other complications. __TOC__ Cause ''Clostridioides difficile'', also known more commonly as ''C. diff'', accounts for 10 to 20% of antibiotic-associated diarrhea cases, because the antibiotics administered for the treatment of certain disease processes such as inflammatory colitis also inadvertently kill a large portion of the gut flora, the normal flora that is usually present within the bowel. With this lower level of "healthy" bacteria present, the overgrowth of ''C. diff'' is then responsible "for elaborating the en ...
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Diarrhea
Diarrhea (American English), also spelled diarrhoea or diarrhœa (British English), is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements in a day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin with loss of the normal stretchiness of the skin and irritable behaviour. This can progress to decreased urination, loss of skin color, a fast heart rate, and a decrease in responsiveness as it becomes more severe. Loose but non-watery stools in babies who are exclusively breastfed, however, are normal. What is diarrhea? How is it caused, treated and prevented? (see also script)The most common cause is an infection of the intestines due to a virus, bacterium, or parasite—a condition also known as gastroenteritis. These infections are often acquired from food or water that has been contaminated by feces, or directly from another person who is infected. The three types of diarrhea ...
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Clostridioides Difficile
''Clostridioides difficile'' ( syn. ''Clostridium difficile'') is a bacterium known for causing serious diarrheal infections, and may also cause colon cancer. It is known also as ''C. difficile'', or ''C. diff'' (), and is a Gram-positive species of spore-forming bacteria. ''Clostridioides'' spp. are anaerobic, motile bacteria, ubiquitous in nature and especially prevalent in soil. Its vegetative cells are rod-shaped, pleomorphic, and occur in pairs or short chains. Under the microscope, they appear as long, irregular (often drumstick- or spindle-shaped) cells with a bulge at their terminal ends (forms subterminal spores). Under Gram staining, ''C. difficile'' cells are Gram-positive and show optimum growth on blood agar at human body temperatures in the absence of oxygen. ''C. difficile'' is catalase- and superoxide dismutase-negative, and produces up to three types of toxins: enterotoxin A, cytotoxin B and Clostridioides difficile transferase. Under stress conditions, the ...
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