Infection Of The Colon: What Are The Symptoms?
The words "colon infection" can cover a range different colon problems.
When doctors use the term however, they're usually talking about a condition caused by the Clostridium difficile bacteria. Clostridium is also commonly known as C. difficile or just C diff.
Those most likely to get a colon infection from Clostridium difficile are seniors who are in a hospital or living in a nursing home or long term care facility. Those who are taking antibiotics to cure some other illness are among those most likely to get a colon infection from C. diff.
Antibiotics kill many kinds of bacteria - not just a certain type that are causing an illness. So, sometimes they kill bacteria that live in our intestines and help us digest our food. Without enough of this beneficial bacteria, C. diff takes over and grows rapidly. Once C. diff gets established, it causes an infection by producing a toxic substance that attacks the lining of the cells and intestines. The resulting inflammation causes abdominal pain and discomfort.
If your colon infection is fairly mild, it will probably go away when you stop taking the antibiotic. In cases wher the colon infection is more severe, however, a different type of antibiotic may be necessary to kill C. diff.
There are several kinds of antibiotics that seem to produce more colon infections from Clostridium difficile than others. These include fluoroquinolones, cephalosporins, penicillin and clindamycin.
It's not hard to find C. diff bacteria in the natural environment. It's abundant in water and dirt. It can also be found on plants. This bacteria floats in the air and can also be found in the metabolic wastes of humans and animals. Therefore it prospers in area where there's poor sanitation.
Avoiding C. diff bacteria can be done the same way you protect yourself from germs of all kinds: keep surfaces at home clean and wash your hands a lot. C. difficile is capable of producing spores that can live on counter tops and such surfaces for weeks or even months, If C. diff germs get on your hands and then into your mouth, they can follow your digestive tract into your intestines. The result could be a colon infection.
It's possible for C. difficile can reside in your system without ever making you sick. But anyone who has C. diff can spread the germs to other people.
In the last few decades, an increasing number of colon infections caused by C. difficile have been reported. Medical researchers report that a new type of C. diff strain, which is more aggressive than preceding types, has developed and is spreading. This strain resists previous medications, and there have been several serious outbreaks as a result in the last decade.
Symptoms of a colon infection can take a long time to appear after C. diff germs get into your system. It can be months. Once colon infection symptoms start appearing, you're like to experience a combination of the following.
Mild pain in the abdomen and possibly cramping.
* Very watery bowel movements and diarrhea that lasts at least two days.
* Inflammation in the colon (also referred to as colitis).
* The most disconcerting symptom may be raw tissue, blood, and pus that you'll notice in bowel movements..
* Fever and nausea.
* Loss of appetite followed by loss of weight..
* Symptoms that indicate dehydration may be occurring.
If these symptoms persist for several days, call your physician.
Once a diagnosis of a C. difficile infection in the colon has been made, your doctor will usually take you off the antibiotic that led to the infection. This will cause some improvement in your symptoms, but it's not likely to be the final step in your colon infection treatment.
Happily, you can take a number of antibiotics that will kill C. difficile without also killing helpful bacteria in your colon and intestines. Metronidazole and vancomycin are the ones that are most frequently prescribed. Side effects from both - including nausea and a bitter aftertaste - are possible with both. It's an especially bad idea to mix metronidazole with alcohol.
Your doctor may also suggest taking certain probiotics that have been proven to help restore your intestinal tract. A type of yeast known as Saccharomyces boulardii can also help when combined with a range of other medications.
Surgery isn't usually performed, but is sometimes done in especially severe cases.
Treatment for a colon infection doesn't always work. Colon infections sometimes return because the C. difficile germs were not all killed in the first round of treatment, or because the patient has been infected by a different strain.
Infection Of The Colon: What Are The Symptoms?
By: Neal Kennedy
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