Spores ?

This forum is for discussions related to C. diff. including symptoms, doctors, medical advances, medications, If you are a new poster (joined within the last month), you can post more often for two months from your date of joining. After that time, one post per day only about "you." You can post more often to support others. Post other topics in Free Form Discussion and Chat Forum.
andy2007
Regular User
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 12:35 pm

Re: Spores ?

Postby andy2007 » Sun May 24, 2020 2:30 pm

I agree Roy, and I can see the logic. I think it also must depend on how people are coming into contact with c diff again. Certainly taking antibiotics again and being in a hospital is going to be more of a risk I imagine. I have no idea how easy it is to pick up c diff after antibiotics while outside of hospital.
And not all people get c diff again even after subsequent rounds of antibiotics. I’d like to hope that at some stage we may be able to safely take antibiotics without the worry of a relapse. Maybe that’s wishful thinking.

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: Spores ?

Postby roy » Sun May 24, 2020 4:26 pm

Put it this way.
25% of shoes and 25% of home doorsteps that were tested had c.diff on them.
Hospitals are not a hotbed for c.diff for the healthy but sick people who are susceptible and often on antibiotics congregate in hospital.
Hospital acquired c.diff gets the publicity because it's possible to clean the bug away and it's not being done.

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Spores ?

Postby beth22 » Tue May 26, 2020 9:33 pm

More than one GI has told me that spores can and do remain dormant in some people and then they consider them colonized. I don't think this applies to everyone, but there is no way of telling really, so be careful about future antibiotic use.

Elvish2
Contributor
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:03 am

Re: Spores ?

Postby Elvish2 » Thu May 28, 2020 11:51 pm

I had c-diff for the first time 9 years ago. I got it again for the second time earlier this year after taking antibiotics again for the first time since my first bout. I thought since it had been so long, I was "safe" to take antibiotics. Nope! It only took 5 Augmentin pills to trigger c-diff again.
2011: contracted c-diff after taking Amoxicillin and Cipro. Successfully treated with Flagyl taper. (Posts under old username, Elvish)

2020: contracted c-diff after taking Augmentin. Finished Dificid taper/pulse on 3/15.

Ali-Mar
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 463
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: Spores ?

Postby Ali-Mar » Fri May 29, 2020 12:25 am

Have you tested during those 9 years to see if you were a carrier (colonized)?
Male 54, contracted C-Diff on Feb 5, 2020, diagnosed on March 2nd, Took Flagyl for 8 days, Vanco for 10 days, relapsed 5 weeks post-Vanco. finished Dificid Taper on June 20 relapsed two weeks later, had the FMT on July 14th, 2020

Elvish2
Contributor
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:03 am

Re: Spores ?

Postby Elvish2 » Fri Jun 05, 2020 2:24 pm

Ali Mar,
No, I never tested after the first test that confirmed I had a c-diff infection in 2011. I was advised against re-testing by my various doctors as I was recovering. I don't think it's usual for people to be tested to see if they're colonized (I know some people just have c-diff normally in their gut flora) - unless I'm misunderstanding the question?

I have sometimes wondered if I'll always have c-diff spores lurking in my gut, waiting to be activated during the right conditions.... not very comforting.
2011: contracted c-diff after taking Amoxicillin and Cipro. Successfully treated with Flagyl taper. (Posts under old username, Elvish)

2020: contracted c-diff after taking Augmentin. Finished Dificid taper/pulse on 3/15.

Ali-Mar
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 463
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: Spores ?

Postby Ali-Mar » Fri Jun 05, 2020 4:42 pm

Thanks, Elvish

No, you answered my question thank you, I found it difficult to believe that the same people are reinfected over and over again, it must be a relapse of the same infection or leftover spores in the gut. And because of that, I think, there are benefits in knowing if you are a carrier or not. I will certainly re-test 6 weeks after my treatment, nothing to lose. That way if contracted C-Diff again, it might help to identify if it is a relapse or a new infection
Male 54, contracted C-Diff on Feb 5, 2020, diagnosed on March 2nd, Took Flagyl for 8 days, Vanco for 10 days, relapsed 5 weeks post-Vanco. finished Dificid Taper on June 20 relapsed two weeks later, had the FMT on July 14th, 2020

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: Spores ?

Postby roy » Fri Jun 05, 2020 5:06 pm

c.diff was recently detected in 80% of river water and 50% of sea water.
Probably about the same % in processed foods.
Also 1 in 10 pet dogs carried it and 4 out of 5 human babies have it!
I call that a very common bacteria that our system shrugs off almost daily.

Testing to see if it's gone is dangerous.
A Dr (and you) might want to treat just based on the result.
Also tests do not detect spores.


Return to “General C. diff. Discussion”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests