Study links use of antibiotics to serious diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis
Antibiotics are designed to eliminate disease causing pathogens. However, their use tends to destroy indigenous gut microbiota.
This consequently creates a selective pressure that allows for the overgrowth of potential pathogens like Clostridioides difficile clinically resulting in serious and fatal infections like diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis.
In most developing countries antibiotic use is not regulated, and people purchase antibiotics over the counter without prescriptions.
The uncontrolled use of antibiotics intensifies the spread C. difficile enhancing the morbidity and mortality of the associated infections in settings considered to be of low prevalence.
Besides, testing for C. difficile infections in developing countries is not routinely carried out owing to lack of resources for diagnostic testing and microbiological facilities for obligate anaerobes. Therefore, diarrhea is treated symptomatically, leading to misdiagnosis, mistreatment, and a possible underestimation of the contribution of C. difficile to diarrhea.
In an attempt to understand the clinical relevance of C. difficile in a Kenyan cohort, a cross-sectional study was carried out by researchers from the University of Nairobi, Aga Khan University Hospital, University of Cape Town, and US Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa. 333 patients receiving in-patient services at Kenyatta National Hospital took part in the study.
Generally, the authors of this study report occurrence of antibiotic resistant strains of C. difficile contributing to healthcare facility-onset diarrhea especially in patients with prior antimicrobial exposure.
The findings provide significant first steps in considering inclusion of C. difficile test as part of routine diagnostic test panel in healthcare facilities.
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Research by
Winnie C. Mutai1*, Marianne W. Mureithi1, Omu Anzala1, Gunturu Revathi2, Brian Kullin3, Magdaline Burugu1, Cecilia Kyany’a4, Erick Odoyo4, Peter Otieno4 and Lillian Musila4
