In the study, 2.8 percent of the hospitalized patients were infected with C. diff, and 3 percent had evidence of the bacteria but no symptoms of colonization. The study showed that use of antibiotics, acid-suppressing proton pump inhibitors and old age all increase the risk of infection.
According to the report, antibiotics can eliminate bacteria, offsetting the balance between good and bad bacteria in the gut. This sets the stage for C. diff infection. The study also found that proton pump inhibitors, which suppress acid, can give bacteria the freedom to “run rampant” in the gut.
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Rhode Island Officials Investigating 5 Hospitals for Alleged Medication Mix-Ups
