Pseudomembranous colitis

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Definition

Pseudomembranous colitis is an inflammatory condition of the colon (large intestine) that occurs in some people who have used antibiotics. It develops when antibiotics disrupt the normal balance between "good" and "bad" bacteria in your colon, causing the proliferation and spread of harmful microorganisms.

Most often, the inflammation in pseudomembranous colitis is associated with an overgrowth of the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), although in less than 10 percent of cases, other organisms can be involved.

Pseudomembranous colitis occurs more often in adults than in children, and it's rare in infants because of protective antibodies they received from their mothers. The condition can cause serious symptoms and can even become life-threatening. However, treatment for most cases of pseudomembranous colitis is successful.

Pseudomembranous colitis is sometimes called antibiotic-associated colitis or C. difficile colitis.

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Symptoms