Advances in Therapeutic Strategies for the Management of Clostridioides difficile Infection

Abstract

The infection caused by Clostridioides difficile represents one of the bacterial infections with the greatest increase in incidence among nosocomial infections in recent years. C. difficile is a Gram-positive bacterium able to produce toxins and spores. In some cases, infection results in severe diarrhoea and fulminant colitis, which cause prolonged hospitalisation and can be fatal, with repercussions also in terms of health economics. C. difficile is the most common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in the healthcare setting. The problem of bacterial forms that are increasingly resistant to common antibiotic treatments is also reflected in C. difficile infection (CDI). One of the causes of CDI is intestinal dysmicrobialism induced by prolonged antibiotic therapy. Moreover, in recent years, the emergence of increasingly virulent strains resistant to antibiotic treatment has made the picture even more complex. Evidence on preventive treatments to avoid recurrence is unclear. Current guidelines indicate the following antibiotics for the treatment of CDI: metronidazole, vancomycin, and fidaxomycin. This short narrative review provides an overview of CDI, antibiotic resistance, and emerging treatments.

Usefulness of Capillary Gel Electrophoresis-Based PCR for Detection of Clostridioides difficile Strains with Hypervirulent Ribotypes

“…This bacterium is the causative agent of healthcare-associated diarrhea. It typically arises from prolonged therapy with clindamycin, third-and fourth-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and proton pump inhibitors [21,22]. Additional factors contributing to the development of the disease include advanced age, compromised immunity, and hospitalization [23,24].…”