C. difficile infection

By Mayo Clinic Staff
Sept. 01, 2023

Research

Mayo Clinic researchers are involved in studies evaluating the epidemiology, risk factors and treatment of C. difficile infection. Studies are ongoing to characterize the fecal microbial composition in the colon to develop tools that can predict response to treatment and the risk of recurrent infection.

The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic has clinics dedicated to researching and treating C. difficile infection, including studies of the gut microflora and new therapies for C. difficile infection. The Microbiome Program at Mayo Clinic is studying how natural variation in individual gut microbiomes relates to clinical risk factors and susceptibility to C. difficile infection.

Publications

See a list of publications about C. difficile infection by Mayo Clinic doctors on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.

  1. Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile-induced diarrhea. Merck Manual Professional Version https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/anaerobic-bacteria/clostridioides-formerly-clostridium-difficile%E2%80%93induced-diarrhea?. Accessed March 21, 2023.
  2. Lamont JT, et al. Clostridium difficile in adults: Epidemiology, microbiology, and pathophysiology. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 21, 2023.
  3. Frequently asked questions about Clostridium difficile for healthcare providers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/clinicians/faq.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fhai%2Forganisms%2Fcdiff%2Fcdiff_faqs_hcp.html. Accessed March 21, 2023.
  4. Guh AY, et al. Trends in U.S. burden of Clostridioides difficile infection and outcomes. New England Journal of Medicine. 2020; doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1910215.
  5. Lamont T, et al. Clostridium difficile in adults: Clinical manifestations and diagnosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 21, 2023.
  6. Loscalzo J, et al., eds. Clostridium difficile infection, including pseudomembranous colitis. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 21st ed. McGraw Hill; 2022. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed March 21, 2023.
  7. McDonald LC, et al. Clinical practice guidelines for Clostridium difficile infection in adults and children: 2017 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (ISDA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2018;66:987.
  8. AskMayoExpert. Clostridium difficile infection (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2022.
  9. Kelly CP, et al. Clostridium difficile in adults: Treatment. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 21, 2023.
  10. Saleh MM, et al. Colitis-induced TH17 cells increase the risk for severe subsequent Clostridium difficile infection. Cell Host and Microbe. 2019;25:756.
  11. Taur Y, et al. Reconstitution of the gut microbiota of antibiotic-treated patients by autologous fecal microbiota transplant. Science Translational Medicine. 2018;10:9489.
  12. Diet strategies for managing chronic diarrhea. International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. https://iffgd.org/gi-disorders/diarrhea/nutrition-strategies/. March 22, 2023.
  13. Tariq R, et al. Experience and outcomes at a specialized Clostridium difficile clinical practice. Mayo Clinic Proceedings Innovations Quality and Outcomes. 2017;1:49.
  14. Khanna S, et al. Current and future trends in clostridioides (clostridium) difficile infection management. Anaerobe. 2019; doi:10.1016/j.anaerobe.2019.04.010.
  15. Feldman M, et al., eds. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridioides difficile infection. In: Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed May 25, 2021.
  16. Johnson S, et al. Clinical practice guideline by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA): 2021 focused update guidelines on management of Clostridioides difficile infection in adults. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2021; doi:10.1093/cid/ciab549.