Gut Infections Are Growing More Lethal

[groovedaddy]

Gastrointestinal infections are killing more and more people in the United States and have become a particular threat to the elderly, according to new data released last week.

Deaths from the infections more than doubled from 1999 to 2007, to more than 17,000 a year from 7,000 a year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Of those who died, 83 percent were over age 65.

Two thirds of the deaths were caused by a bacterium, Clostridium difficile, which people often contract in hospitals and nursing homes, particularly when they have been taking antibiotics. The bacteria have grown increasingly virulent and resistant to treatment in recent years.

But researchers were surprised to discover that the second leading cause of death from this type of illness was the norovirus. It causes a highly contagious infection, sometimes called winter vomiting illness, that can spread rapidly on cruise ships and in prisons, dormitories and hospitals.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/health/gut-infections-are-growing-much-more-lethal.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120320

[Bonhomme Richard]

1. I will tell you that C.Diff is not any fun.

To make matters worse I had to self diagnose. After seeing an article in the NYT it describes the illness I had. My Doctor also happens to be the keyboardist in my band and when I told him he said to take yogurt with probiotics. After a week of that not doing anything he relented and said to take a stool sample (I know too much info) to the hospital to be tested. He called within 2 hours, when he got the results, apologizing because he didn't believe me.
That shit will kill you.

[Voice for Peace]

2. how were you treated? I am guessing you didn't die from it

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. I was put on Flagyl. They don't like to.....

prescribe that because it has it's own issues but it worked for me.
It turns out that later I had to have minor surgery and the Doctor had to weigh whether to give me antobiotics after the surgery so that it didn't get infected and risk C.Diff again or risk me getting an infection and he having to go back in and cut again. I risked C.Diff and got a mild case but loaded up on probiotics. I can't remember if I took Flagyl again.
On a side note about Flagyl. I had some gum disease with pockets around my teeth. My wife works for a Dentist and for years he has watched and measured those pockets. It turned out that my next visit to the Dentist for a cleaning the pockets had closed and he was shocked. I did some research and it turned out that the Flagyl had closed the pockets. Weird.

[Warpy]

4. I could diagnose it when the elevator doors opened

because the stink is that strong and distinctive.

There is a new treatment, a poo enema from a healthy person to recolonize the gut with the bacteria that normally outcompete the c-diff bacteria. It's only being done on an experimental basis so far but will likely become the gold standard for treatment in the future.