Treating C. diff infections initially requires stopping the antibiotics that led to the infection, if possible.
Depending on the severity of your infection, treatment for C. diff may include:
Antibiotics (different antibiotics from the ones that triggered the C. diff)
Surgery
Chronic, recurrent C. diff–infected patients may pursue a new treatment called fecal transplant
Medication Options for C. Diff
While it may sound counterintuitive (since antibiotics cause C. diff), the initial treatment for an infection usually requires taking one of three antibiotics that remain effective against the bacteria. These drugs include, yet are not limited to:
Oral vancomycin is typically the first-line antibiotic for the treatment of C. diff, while fidaxomicin (which can be cost-prohibitive) may be reserved for those with severe symptoms.
Metronidazole was a commonly used first-line treatment for C. diff. But the bacteria may have developed resistance to the drug. Metronidazole is now recommended when access to vancomycin and fidaxomicin is limited.
Surgery for C. Diff
For people who have severe pain, organ failure, toxic megacolon, or inflammation of the lining of the abdominal wall, surgery to remove the affected portion of the colon may be the only option.
In people with recurrent C. diff, despite medication management, a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) may be an option. In this procedure, the stool of a healthy person is transplanted into the colon of a person with C. diff infection.
Although FMT is considered experimental and is not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it’s believed that the procedure restores healthy intestinal bacteria by placing the donor’s stool in your colon, using a colonoscope or nasogastric tube. Donors are screened for underlying medical conditions and infections.
Alternative and Complementary Therapies for C. Diff
To date, there’s limited research on whether alternative and complementary therapies, including home and natural remedies, are effective in treating C. diff.
Probiotics have shown some significant promise in preventing C. diff, but more research is needed to determine the optimal strain and combinations for specific patients. Probiotics are supplements — made from organisms such as bacteria and yeast — that are available as over-the-counter products, usually powders and tablets. There’s some evidence that using probiotics while taking certain antibiotics may help prevent C. diff infections.
Researchers are still trying to determine if probiotics work in the treatment of C. diff and, if so, how.
Talk to your doctor before using probiotics or any other OTC products to treat your C. diff.
Prevention of C. Diff
Hospitals and healthcare facilities can help prevent C. diff by ensuring that staff wear gloves and wash their hands regularly with soap and water (alcohol doesn’t kill C. diff spores, so alcohol-based sanitizers aren’t effective), use disinfectant to clean rooms and equipment, and prescribe and administer antibiotics only when necessary.
To prevent your C. diff from returning, be sure to:
Take your C. diff medication exactly as instructed by your doctor
Wash your hands with soap and water after going to the bathroom, before preparing or eating food, and when they’re dirty — and encourage family to do the same
Clean bathroom and kitchen surfaces regularly with household detergents or disinfectants
Tell your doctor right away if your diarrhea returns after treatment
While rates of C. diff infection have generally been increasing, it’s interesting to note that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of C. diff declined. A 2020 study attributed the drop to the hygiene measures and protective precautions in hospital and healthcare settings to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and suggests that continuing these measures could significantly reduce incidence of C. diff infections in the future.
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I am a Ghanaian journalist, software developer, news editor, and media personality. I am the founder and CEO of Gabs Media & Technology and Apex News Hub, a leading online news platform in Ghana. With a passion for storytelling and a commitment to fact-based reporting, I have established myself as a respected voice in Ghanaian journalism.
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