PATHOGENIC GRAM POSITIVE ORGANISMS

*Clostridium difficile*

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Clostridium Greek for kloster meaning spindle.

Difficile Latin word for difficult.

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Gram Positive
Spore forming Bacilli Drumstick" or "spindle" shaped

Anaerobic
Motile

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Optimum growth on blood agar

Circular to irregular colonies with a characteristic odor redolent of horse feces

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Prevalent in soil, air, water, human and animal feces, and on most surfaces

Transmission: via oral-fecal route

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Toxins:

Enterotoxin (Toxin A) - causes fluid accumulation in the bowel Cytotoxin (Toxin B) - extremely lethal

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BD Clostridium Difficile Agar with 7% Sheep Blood

Selective medium for the primary isolation of Clostridium difficile from fecal and other specimens.

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BD Clostridium Difficile Agar with 7% Sheep Blood (Cont.)

After 48 to 72 h incubation:

Clostridium difficile will appear as gray-white colonies with a ground glass-like appearance and a slightly filamentous edge, but with no signs of beta-hemolysis.

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Clostridium difficile Selective Agar (CDSA)

Recommended as a selective and differential medium for the primary isolation of Clostridium difficile from fecal specimens.

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Clostridium difficile Selective Agar (CDSA)

(Cont.)

As growth of C. difficile occurs, the pH of the medium is raised causing the neutral red indicator to turn yellow.

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Diseases:

Clostridium difficile-associated Diarrhea Pseudomembranous colitis

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Clostridium difficile- Associated Diarrhea

Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea

The most common etiologically defined cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea.

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Clostridium difficile- Associated Diarrhea (Cont.)
It is an infection of the colon caused by C. difficile that occurs primarily among individuals who have been using antibiotics.

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Pathogenesis of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea

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Pseudomembranous colitis
Severe inflammation of the large intestine (colon) with an overgrowth of Clostridium difficile bacteria.

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Diagnosis:

Stool Test

Blood Test
Colon Examination Imaging Test