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Results for “CLOSTRIDIUM INFECTIONS”

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At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effect of cobra venom factor on experimental infection of mice against Clostridium chauvoei.

The effect of cobra venom factor (CoVF) treatment was examined to clarify the mechanism of resistance of mice to Clostridium chauvoei infection. In CoVF-treated mice inoculated with spores of C. chauvoei, no death occurred and the organisms in the infected muscle progressively decreased, similar to that of non-treated control mice. These results indicated that C3 did not play a significant role in the resistance of mice against C. chauvoei infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Systemic and mucosal antibody responses to toxin A in patients infected with Clostridium difficile.

The systemic and mucosal humoral response to toxin A, the primary virulence factor of Clostridium difficile, was measured in sera and intestinal secretions from 21 patients with C. difficile diarrhea, 9 asymptomatic C. difficile fecal excretors, and 10 noncolonized control subjects. Toxin A-specific IgG was higher in convalescent sera of the patients with diarrhea (mean +/- SE, 990 +/- 260 ng/mL) than in acute sera (620 +/- 150 ng/mL), in sera from asymptomatic excretors (410 +/- 140 ng/mL), or control subjects (320 +/- 50 ng/mL; P < .05 convalescent vs. control). The pattern of toxin A-specific serum IgA and intestinal secretory IgA levels was similar to that of serum IgG in these groups. Neutralization of toxin A was demonstrated in 5 of 14 convalescent sera but only 1 of 13 acute sera (P = .04). However, the presence of neutralizing activity was independent of the subsequent clinical response. Therefore, most patients convalescent from C. difficile diarrhea demonstrate systemic and mucosal antibodies to toxin A, but these antibodies following natural infection do not appear to alter the clinical course of C. difficile infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Continuous microbiological and pathological study of 70 sudden and unexpected infant deaths: toxigenic intestinal clostridium botulinum infection in 9 cases of sudden infant death syndrome.

As part of a programme to exclude infection as the cause of death in infants who died suddenly and unexpectedly necropsies were carried out on 70 such infants. In 11 cases (15%), a pathological diagnosis could be made at necropsy; in 9 of these, causative bacteria or viruses were found. The 59 cases in which the cause of death could not be found had histological features characteristic of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Botulinum toxin was found in 9 SIDS cases (15%). 8 of these infants had botulinum toxin and organisms of different types (A, B, C, F, G) in the contents of the ileojejunum or colon. 4 of them also had toxin in the serum. No botulinum toxin or organisms were found in the 11 infants who died of identified causes or 18 other infants who died in hospital of known causes.

Botulinum Toxins↗
PubMed1992

Nosocomial infection with Clostridium difficile investigated by pyrolysis mass spectrometry.

Fifty-eight isolates of Clostridium difficile from two distinct outbreaks were examined for inter-strain similarity by pyrolysis mass spectrometry (PMS). The first outbreak began on a geriatric acute unit and spread to a long stay geriatric facility. PMS analysis showed that most isolates from both sites were indistinguishable. Isolates obtained in the preceding year from the long stay facility were found to be closely similar to these outbreak isolates. In the second, smaller outbreak on a female medical ward in another general hospital, PMS again showed that a single strain was probably responsible. Representative isolates from these two different outbreaks were shown to be distinct. The ability to compare rapidly large numbers of isolates of C. difficile makes PMS attractive for initial screening in suspected outbreaks, providing important information for outbreak management and allowing conventional typing methods to be concentrated on relevant isolates.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Dynamics of Clostridium difficile infection. Control using diet.

Understanding the dynamics of the establishment of C. difficile within the gut is vital to effective prevention, control and therapy of disease due to this nosocomial pathogen. Factors affecting the establishment of C. difficile in the gut were investigated including the role of bacterial metabolic products (BMPs), the composition of colonic flora, diet, and properties of the infecting strain. Concentrations of 9/12 bacterial metabolic products (BMPs), both volatile and non-volatile were significantly higher in mice which eliminated oral challenge with 10(8) spores of C. difficile (E mice) than in mice harbouring the organism (H mice). Growth of C. difficile in vitro was inhibited 10(4) fold at combinations of BMPs at concentrations found in stools of E mice but not in stools of H mice. The in situ production and concentrations of BMPs were increased by augmenting the amount of fermentable fibre in the diet. This resulted in elimination of C. difficile from 6/7 C. difficile colonized mice within 6 days of beginning a diet containing 20% fermentable fibre. Whereas mice fed diets containing 2% fermentable fibre or 20% non-fermentable fibre continued excreting the organism. Elimination of C. difficile was associated with increased concentrations of BMPs and changes in the numbers of organisms already present within the colonic flora. Properties of two microbial phenotypes (smooth (S), and rough (R)) of one strain of C. difficile were examined in vitro and the ID50s determined. The S phenotype survived, germinated and grew in media containing higher concentrations of BMPs, acquired iron when grown under iron restriction, utilized haem and bound Congo red more readily than the R phenotype. In mice fed the 2% fermentable fibre diet the ID50 for the S phenotype was 10(3) spores and 10(8) spores for the R phenotype, whereas for mice fed the 20% fermentable fibre diet it was > 10(6) spores for the S phenotype. The ability of this opportunistic pathogen to adapt to changing environmental conditions is an important factor in determining whether the organism will colonize and cause disease. Diets supplemented with fermentable fibre may be a valuable method of preventing and treating C. difficile related disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Fatal Clostridium perfringens infection after normal term pregnancy.

We describe a case of fatal gas gangrene of the uterus after an apparently normal term pregnancy in a 22-year-old woman. The patient died less than 15 h after the onset of symptoms, which consisted of a single episode of vomiting and increasing hypogastric pain. Hypotension, tachycardia and renal failure were the dominant clinical features. The pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of uterine gas gangrene are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Clostridium difficile infection: a common clinical problem for the general internist.

Considering the current wide use of antimicrobial agents, the general internist is commonly faced with the patient at risk for diarrhea due to C. difficile. The diagnosis should be considered for any patient with diarrhea who has received any type of antibiotic therapy in the preceding 4-6 weeks. Symptoms may range from a minor bout of diarrhea to fulminant and fatal colitis. Diagnosis usually requires demonstration of the toxin in stool; culture of the organism and fiberoptic endoscopy may play an adjunctive role in selected clinical settings. The ultimate goal in the treatment for C. difficile infection is to repopulate the normal colonic flora in the most efficacious manner. Minimally symptomatic patients may respond to discontinuing the offending antimicrobial agent or using nonspecific binding agents. Oral vancomycin continues to be the "gold standard" for specific treatment, while metronidazole therapy is considered the first-line agent for individuals with milder infection. Oral bacitracin shows promise, though large studies are lacking. Patients with multiple relapses of C. difficile diarrhea can be treated with prolonged courses of vancomycin or a combination of vancomycin and rifampin. Intensive care unit patients who are NPO have few therapeutic options besides intravenous administration of metronidazole and oral administration of vancomycin via clamped nasogastric tube. Preventive efforts are directed at cautious use of antibiotics and the use of vinyl gloves when caring for patients with known infection.

Clostridioides difficile↗