Artificial Sugar Trehalose Linked to Clostridium difficile Epidemics | Medicine | Sci-News.com

An artificial sugar called trehalose enhances the virulence of epidemic lineages of Clostridium difficile, a Gram-positive spore forming bacterium that causes life-threatening inflammation of the colon, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.

Anti-depressant link to Clostridium difficile infection

 "Certain types of anti-depressants (mirtazipine and fluoxetine (prozac) have been linked to an increase in the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) finds a study in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine. Awareness of this link should improve identification and early treatment of CDI."

Researchers develop cocktail of bacteria that eradicates Clostridium difficile infection

In a new study out today, researchers used mice to identify a combination six naturally occurring bacteria that eradicate a highly contagious form of Clostridium difficile, an infectious bacterium associated with many hospital deaths. Three of the six bacteria have not been described before. This work may have significant implications for future control and treatment approaches.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-cocktail-bacteria-eradicates-clostridium-difficile.html#jCp

Human Stool Transplant Effective Treatment For C-diff

An unconventional therapy that uses donated human stool to treat the highly contagious and potentially fatal C.diff is safe and beneficial, according to a new study being presented at the annual Infectious Disease Society of America Meeting in San Diego.

Fecal transplant feasible for recurrent C. difficile infection

(HealthDay) -- Recurrent Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) can successfully be treated in the vast majority of patients through a fecal transplantation procedure via colonoscopy, according to research published in the March issue of Gastroenterology.