Clostridium difficile
Meaning of Clostridium difficile: Clostridium difficile is a spore forming bacterium that causes diarrhea and colon inflammation, often following antibiotic use that disrupts normal gut bacteria.
Definition of Clostridium difficile
Clostridium difficile, sometimes reclassified taxonomically as Clostridioides difficile, is a spore forming bacterium that can live in the intestines without causing illness or can cause infection ranging from mild diarrhea to severe inflammation of the colon. It spreads through spores that survive for long periods on surfaces and resist many common disinfectants as well as alcohol based hand sanitizer.
Infection with Clostridium difficile most often develops after a course of antibiotics disrupts the normal balance of bacteria that usually live in the intestine, allowing the organism to multiply and produce toxins that damage the lining of the colon. It is a common cause of diarrhea that develops during or after a hospital stay.
Because Clostridium difficile spores resist alcohol based hand sanitizer, thorough handwashing and specific cleaning protocols are used in health care settings to limit its spread between patients.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Stool testing confirmed Clostridium difficile as the cause of the patient's diarrhea following a course of antibiotics.
Good to know
Clostridium difficile spores are not reliably killed by alcohol based hand sanitizer, so handwashing with soap and water is emphasized specifically for this infection in ways that differ from general hand hygiene practice.
Word origin
Where “Clostridium difficile” comes from
Clostridium derives from Greek kloster, meaning spindle, describing the organism's shape when swollen with spores; difficile is Latin for difficult, reflecting early difficulty in isolating and culturing the organism.