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Pseudomembranous colitis
Long-Term Care Nursing Advisor, August 11, 2006
Pseudomembranous colitis is a serious condition in which diarrhea is caused by a bacterium called Clostridium difficile (C.difficile). It is commonly called by its nickname, "C. diff."
Diarrheal illness develops in residents who have been on antibiotic therapy. The friendly bacteria die as a result of the antibiotic, and the harmful bateria (C.diff) flourish, reproducing rapidly without the friendly bacteria to hold them in check.
In this situation, the antibiotic destroys the normal bowel flora except C. difficile, which is a virulent pathogen. As the C.diff breeds, it produces toxins that affect the intestinal lining, causing serious illness.
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