Pseudomembranous colitis

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Definition Symptoms Causes Risk factors Complications

Preparing for your appointment Tests and diagnosis Treatments and drugs Lifestyle and home remedies Prevention

Definition

Pseudomembranous colitis, sometimes called antibiotic-associated colitis or C. difficile colitis, is an inflammatory condition of the colon that occurs in some people who have received antibiotics.

The inflammation in pseudomembranous colitis is almost always associated with an overgrowth of the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), although in rare cases, other organisms can be involved.

Pseudomembranous colitis occurs more often in adults than in children, and it's rare in infants because of protective antibodies received from their mothers. The condition can cause you to experience painful, alarming symptoms and can even become life-threatening. However, treatment for most cases of pseudomembranous colitis is successful.

NEXT:

Symptoms