Common bacteria causing worse problems

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Paul Nelson reportingA certain bacterial infection has raised some concerns with epidemiologists in Utah and across the country. They say more people are getting hospitalized from it, and the symptoms are getting worse.

Clostridium difficile is not new. As a matter of fact, it's something that's commonly found in healthy people.

University of Utah Hospital spokeswoman Ryann Rasmussen said, "Most healthy individuals shouldn't have a problem with this because they have natural antibodies. When you're sick, however, and in the hospital, or you've been through some sort of surgery or some sort of treatment, your immune system may not be as good."

Rasmussen says the bug lives in the colon and causes diarrhea, and not just what you might have from eating bad food.

"Severe, severe diarrhea would be the first indicator of a C. difficile infection," Rasmussen said.

MSNBC reports some people with the bacteria have to use the bathroom up to 50 times a day with the newer, more virulent strain. But, it's the recent evolution of the bug that has some epidemiologists concerned.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Robert Rolfs said, "We've seen an increase of people being hospitalized with disease caused by the bacteria C. difficile over the past five or 10 years."

Rolfs says there are a number of reasons why the bacteria is getting worse, and in some cases, it could become fatal.

"The germ that has been causing more trouble, it has changes in its genome and in its genetic makeup that allow it to make more toxins, which is how it makes people sick. It also is more likely to be resistant to some antibiotics."

Plus, Rolfs says older patients in hospitals are more susceptible to C. difficile. Because C. difficile has been historically less serious than it is now, it's not a disease that the Utah Department of Health requires hospitals to report, but, that could change.

"As this one has been changing, I've been wondering whether it's something we should make reportable to track that way, but, we have not taken that step yet," Rolfs said.

Currently, the bug is tracked by hospitals during discharge.

E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com