Gastrointestinal Infections
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Gastrointestinal Infections
Gastrointestinal tract infections are among the most prevalent factors that lead to morbidity in the United States. Various pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, may bring on infections in the digestive system. Each distinct category of the pathogen has its own particular set of traits and can produce a diverse range of illnesses. For the sake of this discussion, I will zero in on a specific type of gastrointestinal infection brought on by a bacterium, virus, fungus, or parasite.
Pathogen: Clostridioides difficile
Clostriidioides difficile, often known as C. difficile, is a bacterium known to be the culprit in the development of gastrointestinal illnesses (CDC, 2019; Mada & Alam, 2020; MedlinePlus, 2022). C. difficile is a gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria present in the environment and the gastrointestinal tracts of animals and people. It may cause diarrhea in both human and animal hosts. C. difficile is the most prevalent cause of diarrhea connected with antibiotics, and it is capable of causing severe infections in people that may even be fatal.
Pathogenesis
Antibiotics and other drugs may throw off the usual balance of bacteria in the stomach, leading to an illness caused by the bacterium C. difficile. Because of this disturbance, C. difficile can overgrow and create toxins that cause inflammation and damage the lining of the intestines (CDC, 2019; Mada & Alam, 2020). Toxins generated by C. difficile may cause various symptoms, including watery and bloody diarrhea, stomach discomfort, fever, nausea, and dehydration. In extreme situations, the infection may develop an inflammation of the colon that poses a significant risk to one's life (colitis).
Signs and Symptoms
Infections caused by C. difficile may present various signs and symptoms, which might change depending on the infection's severity (CDC, 2019; Mada & Alam, 2020; MedlinePlus, 2022). The following is a list of the most frequent symptoms of an infection caused by C. difficile:
Watery diarrhea; is the most common symptom of C. difficile infection. It typically occurs 2-3 days after taking antibiotics or other medications.
Abdominal pain and cramping; which can range from mild to severe.
Fever; may be present in some cases.
Nausea and vomiting; may occur in some cases.
Dehydration; can occur due to frequent watery diarrhea.
Treatment
Antibiotics are often used in order to treat infections caused by C. difficile. Vancomycin and metronidazole are the antibiotics used most often in treating C. difficile infections (Mada & Alam, 2020). Probiotics are sometimes taken to help restore the natural harmony of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. When the condition is serious, surgery may be required to remove the infected portion of the colon.
Case Study
An emergency room receives a patient who is 69 years old and is complaining of acute stomach discomfort and diarrhea that is watery. Since he was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection a week ago, he has been treating it with medication. Throughout the physical examination, it was discovered that he was suffering from fever, stomach pain, and dehydration. The stool samples he provided to the laboratory were positive for C. difficile toxins. What diagnosis may be possible, considering the patient's signs and symptoms, the laboratory tests, and the patient's most recent usage of antibiotics?
References
CDC. (2019, February 8). Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/index.html
Mada, P. K., & Alam, M. U. (2020). Clostridium Difficile. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431054/
MedlinePlus. (2022). C. diff Infections. Medlineplus.gov. https://medlineplus.gov/cdiffinfections.html