Pseudomembranous colitis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Digestive system

Digestive system organs

Pseudomembranous colitis

Definition:

Pseudomembranous colitis is a complication of antibiotic therapy that causes severe inflammation in areas of the colon (large intestine).

Alternative Names:
Antibiotic associated colitis; Colitis - pseudomembranous; Necrotizing colitis
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Almost any antibiotic can cause pseudomembranous colitis. The bacterium Clostridium difficile, which is normally present in the intestine, may overgrow when antibiotics are taken.

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The bacteria release a powerful toxin that causes the symptoms. The lining of the colon becomes raw and bleeds. In addition to antibiotic use, chemotherapy, advanced age, recent surgery, and history of previous pseudomembranous colitis are risk factors for this condition.

Ampicillin, clindamycin, and cephalosporins are the most common antibiotics associated with this disease in children. Pseudomembranous colitis is rare in infants less than 12 months old because they have protective antibodies from the mother and because the toxindoes notcause disease in most infants.