7.6.1: Clostridium difficile (C. diff)
One example of this imbalance in the microbiome occurs in people who have been using antibiotics to treat other infections. These antibiotics kill off the symbiotic, healthy bacteria that lives in the intestines, thus changing the gut microbiome. This allows the harmful bacteria Clostridioides difficile to multiply, causing symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, fever, and stomach pain. If this bacteria is not eliminated, and the gut microbiome recalibrated with healthy bacteria, it can be deadly. Because it is so difficult to treat, C. diff will often recur again in those who have had it previously, and is responsible for nearly half a million infections each year (CDC, 2023f).