C. difficile (C. diff) is a bacterial infection that affects nearly half a million Americans each year. Paradoxically, treatment for the disease often uses strong antibiotics—yet antibiotic use is a major risk factor for contracting the disease. Despite issuing warnings three years ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first-ever standardized fecal therapy to treat C. diff infections.
C. Diff Infections Occur When Good Bacteria Dies
A balance persists in the gut microbiome that allows us to live a healthy life. It is a system that ensures we have the right amount of each bacteria needed in our intestinal tracts. More research is emerging showing that an imbalance in the gut microbiome can lead to a number of issues—one of them being a C. diff infection.C. diff is a bacteria that notably has a hospitalization rate of about 50 percent and carries a list of symptoms including diarrhea, fever, and stomach tenderness or pain. Although C. diff can affect anyone, it is more likely for someone to be infected after taking antibiotics.
