Clostridium Difficile

Clostridium Difficile

Question no. 1

Clostridium Difficile is a bacterium that cannot be killed easily and it is present in the form of spores. These spores are present on the surfaces that are commonly found in the environment like bed sheets and television remotes. The spores of clostridium Difficile can also be transferred by the healthcare workers to the patients and it is present frequently in the hospitals. The patient discussed in the case might have been a victim of Clostridium Difficile by the environment or instruments used in the surgery due to which the bacteria entered in to the blood stream of the patient (Headley & Motes, 2012). The bacteria produces protein exotoxins which can activate the mast cells of the body due to which the inflammatory response are produced in the body and it further leads to sepsis and infections in kidney and urinary tract (Sheila & Diana, 2010). Ticarcillin-Clavulanic is administered in the urinary tract infections because it is effective in the treatment of infections that occur due to bacteria. The drug acts by entering through the cell wall of bacteria and it inhibit the synthesis of peptidoglycan in the bacterial cell (GSK, 2013).

Question no. 2

The predisposing factor of infection with Clostridium Difficile in this case can the period of hospitalization of the patient. It is reported that approximately 15 of the patients that are admitted in the hospital acquire this bacteria within two weeks of admission (Randeep & David, 2012). According to another study almost 50% of the patients become the carrier of the bacterium after the four weeks of admission (Bartlett, 2010). The other risk factor can be the introduction of the Ticarcillin-Clavulanic antibiotic because the infection from Clostridium Difficile also occurs by exposure of antibiotics. According to a research the infection occurs in 85% of the patients who are using the antibiotics (Kachrimanidou & Malisiovas, 2011). The infection can occur after the single dose of the antibiotics and the risks of infection continue to increase with the course of administration of the antibiotics (Randeep & David, 2012).



Question no. 3

When an antibiotic is administered, it kills the healthy micro organisms of the gut and due to which the Clostridium Difficile gets the chance to grow. Clostridium Difficile is normally present in the gut in a very few numbers. The growth of this bacterium becomes out of control and causes diarrhea. The symptoms of diarrhea can be mild or they can be severe also and can cause ulcer and infection of intestine (Foster, 2013).

Patients who are suffering from the infection of Clostridium Difficile pass it off into their feces and the spores of this bacterium can be transmitted to hands and food if proper hand hygiene is not maintained. The food is then eaten by any other person and the spores start to grow in the gut of the other person. The spores start to produce toxins in the gut whenever they get out of control and cause inflammation in the inner ...