Forty-one children with a variety of gastrointestinal complaints were diagnosed with Clostridium difficile infections as part of a routine screen over 3 years. The infection had not been suspected prior to the screen. Each child responded to treatment with metronidazole with resolution of their symptoms. These data suggest that community-associated C difficile is increasing and may produce atypical disease and lead to misdiagnosis.
Wilson MEClostridium difficile and childhood diarrhea: cause, consequence, or confounder . Clin Infect Dis. 2006;43:814-816.
2.
Bryant K., McDonald LCClostridium difficile infections in children. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2009;28:1-2.
3.
Kelly CP, LaMont JTClostridium difficile-more difficult than ever. N Engl J Med . 2008;359:1932-1940.
4.
Dial S., Delaney JAC, Barkun AN, Suissa S.Use of gastric acid-suppressive agents and the risk of community-acquired Clostridium difficile-associated disease. JAMA. 2005;294:2989-2995.
5.
Morinville V. , McDonald J.Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in 200Canadian children. Can J Gastroenterol. 2005;19:497-501.
6.
Vernacchio L. , Vezina RM, Mitchell AA, Lesko SM, Plaut AG, Acheson DWDiarrhea in American infants and young children in the community setting: incidence, clinical presentation and microbiology . Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2006;25:2-7.
7.
Kim J., Smathers SA, Prasad P., Leckerman KH, Coffin S., Zaoutis T.Epidemiological features of Clostridium difficile-associated disease among inpatients at children’s hospitals in the United States, 2001-2006 . Pediatrics. 2008;122: 1266-1270.
8.
Zilberberg MD , Shorr AF, Kollef MHIncrease in Clostridium difficile-related hospitalizations among infants in the United States, 2000-2005 . Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2008; 27:1111-1112.
9.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Severe Clostridium difficile-associated disease in populations previously at low risk-four states, 2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2005;54:1201-1205.
10.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Surveillance for community-associated Clostridium difficile- Connecticut, 2006. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008; 57:340-348.