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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffComplications of C. difficile infections include:
- Dehydration. Severe diarrhea can lead to a significant loss of fluids and electrolytes. This makes it difficult for your body to function normally and can cause blood pressure to drop to dangerously low levels.
- Kidney failure. In some cases, dehydration can occur so quickly that kidney function rapidly deteriorates (kidney failure).
- A hole in your large intestine (bowel perforation). This results from extensive damage to the lining of your large intestine. A perforated bowel can spill bacteria from the intestine into your abdominal cavity, leading to a life-threatening infection (peritonitis).
- Toxic megacolon. In this condition, the colon becomes grossly distended when it's unable to expel gas and stool. Left untreated, your colon can rupture, causing bacteria from the colon to enter your abdominal cavity. A ruptured colon requires emergency surgery and may be fatal.
- Death. Even mild to moderate C. difficile infections can quickly progress to a fatal disease if not treated promptly.
References
- Kelly CP, et al. Treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
- Bartlett JG. Narrative review: The new epidemic of Clostridium difficile-associated enteric disease. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2006;145:758.
- Pepin J, et al. Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in a region of Quebec from 1991 to 2003: A changing pattern of disease severity. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2004;171:466.
- Kelly CP, et al. Clostridium difficile — More difficult than ever. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;359:1932.
- LaMont JT. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
- Efron PA, et al. Clostridium difficile colitis. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2009;89:483.
- Monaghan T, et al. Recent advances in Clostridium difficile-associated disease. Gut. 2008;57:850.
- Kelly CP, et al. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea, pseudomembranous enterocolitis, and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea and colitis. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger and Fordtan's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..00108-6. Accessed Sept. 30, 2010.
- Bartlett JG, et al. Clinical recognition and diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2008;46(suppl):S12.
- Bakken JS. Fecal bacteriotherapy for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. Anaerobe. 2009;15:285.
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