Deadly Stomach Bug Making Inroads Outside Hospitals
TUESDAY, Nov. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A potentially deadly stomach infection is on the rise outside of hospital settings, especially among the elderly, researchers warn.
The germ that causes the condition, known as Clostridium difficile, can create serious symptoms, including diarrhea and an inflammation of the colon, that can be fatal. The infection can be difficult to treat because the bacteria have become immune to some drugs.
The bacteria have been found mostly in hospitals, nursing homes and similar facilities.
"Recent reports have shown increasing incidence and severity of C. difficile infection, especially in the older population," Dr. Darrell Pardi, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and senior author of a study on the situation, said in a Mayo news release. "Our study examines why the cases are on the rise and who is getting the infection."
The findings were presented recently at the American College of Gastroenterology annual meeting, in San Diego.
The researchers examined 385 cases of disease caused by the germ from 1991 to 2005 to see if more were being acquired in places other than a hospital.
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