This assignment will describe the pathogenesis and clinical feature of clostridium difficile infection and will discuss how the bacteria virulence factors and allow it to infect humans.

Clostridium difficile is a type of bacteria that can be found in many health people’s gut. This type of bacterium can only be considered as harmless depending on the amount of other harmless bacterium that can be found in the gut. Clostridium difficile produces spores which can resist high temperatures and these spores are passed out with faeces of people who have clostridium difficile in their gut. One of the features of the spores is they can survive on clothes, surfaces and through the air for long time of period. Other people may get this bacterium through the spores, since spores can survive on the air or on the surface. Too many clostridium difficile can be harmful. The main cause for clostridium difficile to increase is caused by antibiotics. When a person is taken antibiotics, some antibiotics kill other harmless bacterium. When this is happening it causes clostridium difficile to increase rapidly and produce toxins. There are two toxins that normally required and causing clostridium difficile diarrhoea. Toxins A and B, toxin A is play more critical than toxin B in the pathogenesis of clostridium difficile diarrhoea. Because is the only way it is associated with the content tissue damage. Toxin B has no notice direct when enters toxin and play a role only after the gastro intestinal wall gastrointestinal has been damage by toxin A. Toxin A is a negative don’t essential for virulence. Toxin B is positive virulent clostridium difficile (Patient.co.uk 2009).

Clostridium difficile lives all around us including in human digestive systems. But it won’t cause any problems until the person begins to take broad spectrum antibiotics for other illness, for people who take this kind of antibiotics are higher at risk of getting clostridium difficile. At this point clostridium difficile can settle in and making the infected much worse. Symptoms will appear after finishing a course of antibiotics. However most cases of clostridium difficile occur in people who are in hospital or recently been in hospital. This is because clostridium difficile and spores are more likely to be found in hospitals. So for people in hospital there are more likely to be come affected with clostridium difficile and is often passed from one person to another in hospital, (Patient.co.uk 2009).

In conclusion understanding the epidemiology and virulence of prevalent strains is important if Clostridium difficile infection is to be controlled successfully. All healthcare workers, from those on the wards to senior management, have a role to play in creating a safer environment for staff and patients alike. We must remember that infection control is paramount and it is everyone’s responsibility.

Evaluation

It took me quite a long time to start this assignment, mainly because l was trying to search more information about the bacteria and understanding more before writing down. I did a lot research and mainly realised that l had too much information and l had to compromise what to use. Writing the essay has made me understand more about clostridium difficile. It was a bit stressful for me to start writing the assignment, but finally I am pleased with the work I have done, and hope to improve with my subsequent assignment.

Reference

Dr, Kenny, B. (2009) Pharmacy Informatics Team (Online) Available from:  (Access on 23/03/2010).         

Dr. Donal O’Donoghue (2007) clostridium difficile infiction. (Online) Available from:  (Access on 31/07/ 2009).

Health. Protection. Agency (2010) clostridium difficile infection (online) Available from

 (Access on 03/11/2010).

David. N. (2007) Infection and update on clostridium difficile. (Online) Available from:

 (Access on 25/07/2007).