C-diff in the body?

[jmsp]

How long does c-diff last inside the body? I read spores can last 70-90 days, but even up to 5 months outside the body. But what about inside? Let's say one has swallowed a spore, but a time period elapsed and that spore is no longer an issue?

[OCmama]

I don't think anyone really has an answer for this one yet :-/

The most I have gotten out of any of the infectious disease doctors is that we can try taking an antibiotic without vanco 2 years out from the end of the CDI, and see what happens.

I wish someone had an answer for how long the spores last In the human body, hoping it's not forever. My guess is that it varies between different people/cases.

[roy]

C.diff is not a disease, it's a normal gut flora unless it overgrows.
If it's in its home environment (mammalian gut) it probably survives indefinitely.
Multiplying and dieing as any other bacteria does.

[OCmama]

Roy

It is my understanding from our ID team, NIH and open biome that less than 10% of the ambulatory adult population carries C. diff.

What I do not understand is: post CDI as a healthy adult do you eventually at some point stop carrying C. Diff? (In pediatrics, most children stop carrying it around age 1-2). Or are adults different? Once you have a CDI you are always carrying spores?

[cnatra]

OCmama that's what my ID doc said too.

In fact the GIs I've talked to who do FMTs C Diff is one of the things they screen for in the stool donation.
OpenBiome screens for it as well. They don't want to be reintroducing C Diff into a sick persons colon.

[roy]

Most probably do totally eradicate the spores when the good flora is strong enough.
But remember that c.diff is a common bacteria and your going to ingest it many times in future.
Probably many times a year!
Today's ambulatory c.diff carriers will mostly be a different group to next year's carriers.
Study's of relapsing patients have shown that of those that have symptoms return after 4 weeks clear of D around half have a new infection from a different strain.

C.diff is a disease caused by modern medicine, if your totaly cured this time you can still pick up a new infection if you take antibiotics in the future.
Having c.diff once proves your good gut floras susceptible to antibiotics and might react the same in future.
Antibiotics are for saving lives not to cut short minor inconveniences.
UK Drs realised this and c.diff reduced by 75% within 3 years.
It's not a case of this current infection laying dorment, it a case of learning the hard way that antibiotics are not the cure all and that c.diff is always a concern for anyone taking them.

[OCmama]

Obviously anyone who is unfortunate enough to be on this board is aware of the dangers of antibiotics. My concern is for my family's future health. I lay awake worrying at night that one of my children (or my husband or myself), will get a bacterial infection (like when I had postpartum pneumonia a few years back), and then the cycle will start over again with the dormant spores that have seeded our intestines. It seems like an incredibly fragile balance, and it scares me silly. But I guess that's life, no guarantees, one foot in front of the other.

[beth22]

I first tested positive for c diff in 2008. There were a few years I tested negative on pcr, but since last year when I took antibiotics, I test positive on pcr, but negative on EIA. I don't think the spores will ever leave me.

[denizz]

i really wonder before fmt how do they make sure that donor do not carry cdiff spores ...pcr is very sensitive my son is negative on it now but his ped gi told me that even he is negative pcr doesnt necessarily mean he dont have spores ..how confusing and disappointing could an infevlction and a bacteria can be ? So i am.assuming they do pcr for donors and negative doesnt mean this person is negative ...there are trilions of bacterias at gut amd i guess even 1 spore left in gut might cause relapse on antibiotics and there is no way to detect that spore where there are trilions of bacterias :( ..ah also on one research they followed an infant going negative on her own after mother stop breastfeeding and consumption was infants grow out of it on their own but still it is a pcr and how they can be sure of that ?

[OCmama]

It is super frustrating. We were told by all treating specialists that even after succesfully completing treatment we would still have spores within our intestines (with Dificid resulting in the least amount of residual spores). I have read different reports of how long you are actively shedding spores after infection. I hate that it is something that my family and I will never be completely free of (unless the vaccine comes out and changes everything!) C. diff has changed so many things in our lives, and so far I haven't had a day in 10 months that my life hasn't been different because of it.

[beth22]

I haven't had a day in over 9 years. I can't eat a lot of foods I used to like salads, fruit, dairy and treats like ice cream or chocolate. It makes me really angry, but I'm hoping someone will come out with a medication that kills those spores. Meanwhile I do the best I can.

[Drake]

This is a very good question. I went 7 months without cdiff. The first 3 times were triggered by antibiotics. The 4th time never made sense to me, and took me by complete surprise. I hadn't been on any antibiotics and was actually doing very good. So I had wondered if I had missed a spot cleaning. I always do my best to disinfect my bathroom, and wash my hands frequently. However my husband uses it all the time as well and has never had cdiff.