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Pseudomembranous enteritis is a special form of antibiotic-induced diarrhea, that is, diarrhea that occurs during or after antibiotic treatment. Pseudomembranous enteritis is a serious disease that can lead to serious complications, including potentially fatal perforation in the large intestine, that is, tears. What are the causes and symptoms of pseudomembranous enteritis. How is this disease treated?

Pseudomembranous enteritisis a form ofantibiotic-related diarrhea , which is one that occurs during or after antibiotic use. Antibiotics disturb the balance of the bacterial flora of the large intestine. Under their influence, bacterial species resistant to a given antibiotic are selected, selectively multiplied and produced toxins that cause intestinal inflammation.

Pseudomembranous enteritis: causes

In this case, the cause of inflammation in the colon is caused by toxins produced byClostridium difficile.It is a bacterium that some people - especially infants and young children - are part of the bacterial flora intestines, where "good" bacteria block the growth of this microorganism. However, after taking antibiotics with a wide range of antibacterial activity, the balance of the bacterial flora of the large intestine is disturbed. The bacteriumClostridium difficile , which is resistant to most antibiotics, begins to overgrow at the expense of the "good" bacteria and produces toxins A and B in large amounts, which damage the intestines. This process takes place several days to two months after taking antibiotics.

In very rare cases, infection can also occur through the ingestion in hospitals or medical care homes, if hygiene rules are not followed. It is enough that a person who is a carrier of bacteria or who has pseudomembranous enteritis does not wash their hands after leaving the toilet for the pathogen to spread to another person after touching the handle that the patient had previously touched.

Pseudomembranous enteritis: symptoms

  • watery stools, rarely with mucus, pus or blood - you may pass some loose stools, but somein cases, their number can be up to 30 a day
  • fever
  • cramping abdominal pain, usually located below the navel

Pseudomembranous enteritis: diagnosis

In the diagnosis of pseudomembranous enteritis:

  • blood test (leukocytosis, increased ESR and CRP indicate inflammation in the body);
  • stool microbiological test - stool culture forC. difficile;
  • colonoscopy, i.e. endoscopic examination of the large intestine - during the examination, gray-yellow discs with a diameter of several millimeters are visible on the surface of the large intestine mucosa - the so-called "pseudo-membranes" (hence the name of the disease). During the examination, the doctor takes samples of the mucosa for histological evaluation;
  • histological examination of a specimen of the large intestine mucosa. - a piece of tissue is collected with a thick needle (biopsy) or during a colonoscopy;

Pseudomembranous enteritis: treatment

If the course of the disease is mild, discontinue the presumed antibiotic. If it is not possible to stop antibiotic treatment, your doctor should prescribe an antibiotic, which is rarely the cause of pseudomembranous inflammation. Metronidazole is the drug of first choice for the treatment ofClostridium difficileinfection. It is used for 10 days. If it does not help, the patient is given vancomycin. These are antibiotics to which the bacteria are sensitive.

In the case of severe disease (in case of dehydration and hypoalbuminemia - decrease in the amount of albumin in the plasma) hospitalization is necessary in order to correct water and electrolyte disturbances and hypoalbuminemia.

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Category:

Gastrology