Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Oxford University, John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford, UK, OX3 9DU.
Crit Rev Microbiol. 2011 Aug;37(3):178-87. doi: 10.3109/1040841X.2011.556598. Epub 2011 May 24.
Clostridium difficile is one of the most important causes of healthcare acquired diarrhea. The disease spectrum caused by C. difficile infection ranges from mild, self-limited, illness to a severe, life-threatening colitis. The incidence of C. difficile associated disease has risen dramatically over the last decade, leading to increased research interest aiming at the discovery of new virulence factors and the development of new treatment and prevention regimens. This review summarizes the pathogenesis and changing epidemiology of C. difficile associated disease, the clinical spectrum and laboratory methods to diagnose C. difficile infection, and current treatment strategies.
艰难梭菌是引起医源性腹泻的最重要原因之一。艰难梭菌感染引起的疾病谱范围从轻度、自限性疾病到严重的、危及生命的结肠炎。过去十年中，艰难梭菌相关疾病的发病率急剧上升，这导致人们对发现新的毒力因子和开发新的治疗和预防方案产生了浓厚的研究兴趣。这篇综述总结了艰难梭菌相关疾病的发病机制和不断变化的流行病学、艰难梭菌感染的临床谱和实验室方法以及当前的治疗策略。
