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Clostridium Difficile & Antibiotic Resistant Organisms (AROs)

 Infectious Diseases
 
Everyone has bacteria in their nose and on their skin. In sufficient numbers, these bacteria can cause infections that need to be treated by antibiotics. Sometimes bacteria become resistant to the antibiotics normally used to treat them and are then referred to as Antibiotic Resistant Organisms. More information about Antibiotic Resistant Organisms can be found on the Antibiotic Resistant Organisms information sheet.
 
  • Clostridium Difficile Information Sheet: Clostridium Difficile information sheet:  Clostridium Difficile (also known as C. Diff) is a bacterium that produces a toxin that can cause an inflammation of the intestinal tract.  This inflammation causes diarrhea in the affected person and often other serious intestinal conditions as well.  Clostridium Difficile is the most common cause of diarrhea in hospitals.
     
  • Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) Information Sheet: There are specific bacteria that produce enzymes called Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBL). These enzymes can break down many common antibiotics and make them ineffective in fighting infection caused by bacteria.
     
  • Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Information Sheet:
    Staphylococcus Aureus (often called "staph") is a bacterium that lives in the nose and on the skin of about 25 percent of healthy people and 70 percent of the chronically ill. Occasionally this bacterium can get into the body and cause infections (e.g., skin and lung infections). Methicillin is one of the antibiotics normally used to treat such infections. However, this bacterium can develop resistance to Methicillin. In this case, the bacterium is referred to as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).
     
  • Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) Information Sheet: Enterococci are bacteria found in everyone's bowel. Normally, these bacteria are sensitive to vancomycin, an antibiotic. Occasionally, these bacteria can become resistant to vancomycin after antibiotic use. They are then referred to as Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE).
     
 
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