Clostridium difficile is which of the following?

Clostridium difficile is which of the following?

• A. A gram-positive bacterium associated with long-term hospitalization, nursing home stays, and antibiotic use.
• B. A gram-negative bacterium associated with dairy products.
• C. A virus causing gastroenteritis.
• D. A fungus causing candidiasis.

Answer: (A)

Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that often causes illness after antibiotics disrupt the normal gut flora. In long-term hospitalization and nursing home settings, patients are frequently exposed to C. difficile spores and receive antibiotics, which together promote overgrowth and toxin production, leading to diarrhea and colitis. It’s not a virus or a fungus, and it’s not gram-negative, which is why the description of a gram-positive bacterium associated with antibiotic use in healthcare settings fits best.

Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that often causes illness after antibiotics disrupt the normal gut flora. In long-term hospitalization and nursing home settings, patients are frequently exposed to C. difficile spores and receive antibiotics, which together promote overgrowth and toxin production, leading to diarrhea and colitis. It’s not a virus or a fungus, and it’s not gram-negative, which is why the description of a gram-positive bacterium associated with antibiotic use in healthcare settings fits best.