Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) can either be a dangerous adversary or coexist peacefully in the human gut—depending on the circumstances.
C. diff is usually present in small amounts in the gut and doesn’t cause harm because the balance of gut microbiota prevents its overgrowth. However, antibiotics can disrupt normal gut bacteria, lead to C. diff overgrowth, and release toxins that result in severe gut inflammation. This leads to symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sometimes life-threatening colitis or inflammation of the colon.
