福利姬

Antibiotics are designed to eliminate disease causing pathogens. However, their use tends to destroy indigenous gut microbiota.

This consequently creates a selective pressure that allows for the overgrowth of potential pathogens like听Clostridioides difficile听clinically听resulting in serious and fatal infections like diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis.

In most developing countries antibiotic use is not regulated, and people purchase antibiotics over the counter without prescriptions.

The uncontrolled use of antibiotics intensifies the spread听C. difficile听enhancing the morbidity and mortality of the associated infections in settings considered to be of low prevalence.

Besides, testing for听C. difficile听infections in developing countries is not routinely carried out owing to lack of resources for diagnostic testing and microbiological facilities for obligate anaerobes. Therefore, diarrhea is treated symptomatically, leading to misdiagnosis, mistreatment, and a possible underestimation of the contribution of听C. difficile听to diarrhea.

In an attempt to understand the clinical relevance of听C. difficile听in a听Kenyan cohort, a cross-sectional study was carried out by researchers from the听福利姬, Aga Khan University Hospital, University of Cape Town, and US Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa. 333 patients receiving in-patient services at Kenyatta National Hospital took part in the study.听

Generally, the authors of this study report occurrence of antibiotic resistant strains of听C. difficile听contributing to healthcare facility-onset diarrhea especially in patients with prior antimicrobial exposure.

The findings provide significant first steps in considering inclusion of听C. difficile听test as part of routine diagnostic test panel in healthcare facilities.

Research by

^1*,听¹,听,听 Gunturu Revathi²,听Brian Kullin³,听Magdaline Burugu¹,听 Cecilia Kyany鈥檃⁴,听 Erick Odoyo⁴,听Peter Otieno⁴听and听Lillian Musila⁴

听