| Theme |
Infections Diseases in Hemodialysis Patients -- the Progress of Diagnosis and Therapy |
| Title |
Pseudomembranous colitis |
| Author |
Masayoshi Nanami |
Department of Kidney and Dialysis, Hyogo College of Medicine |
| Author |
Ken Nakanishi |
Department of Kidney and Dialysis, Hyogo College of Medicine |
| Author |
Yoshihiro Takamitsu |
Department of Kidney and Dialysis, Hyogo College of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] |
Pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) as well as acute hemorrhagic colitis (AHC) are classified into the antibiotics-associated colitis. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colitis also likely to occur in the antibiotics-administered patients and should be differentiated from PMC and AHC. PMC has been often detected in aged patients with severe infectious disease treated with several kinds of antibiotics. Major symptoms of PMC are frequent watery diarrhea, subfever, abdominal pain and distension. Diagnosis should be made by the identification of Clostridium difficile (CD) by microbiological examination of the confirmation of pseudo-membrane by endoscopy in antibiotics-administered patients. The discontinuation of antibiotics therapy could be necessary for the normalization of fecal flora. Vancomycin is recommended if the drug therapy is necessary. |