Clostridium Difficile Colitis Center - Nashua, NH
Nashua Gastroenterologist Doctors for Clostridium Difficile ColitisType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Nashua * Mark L Mallek MD  Richard C Dai MD  Dennis Shea MD  Londonderry Gastroenterology Associates  New Hampshire Gastroenterology  New Hampshire Gastroenterology Inc  Knut J Roalsvig MD  Northeast Gastroenterology Associates  Northeast Gastroenterology Associates  Emil K Karagiannis MD  Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester  Concord Gastroenterology  Concord Gastroenterology  Concord Gastroenterology  Concord Gastroenterology  Concord Gastroenterology  Seacoast Gastroenterology  Seacoast Gastroenterology  Seacoast Gastroenterology  Seacoast Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology PA  Gastroenterology Professional Associates  Gastroenterology Professional Associates  Gastroenterology PA  Gastroenterology PA  Gastroenterology PA  Gastroenterology Professional Associates  Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene Gastroenterology  Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene Gastroenterology  Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene Gastroenterology  Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene Gastroenterology  Carroll County Gastroenterology  Associates in Surgery & Gastroenterology  Associates in Surgery & Gastroenterology  DHMC Gastroenterology Department  Brian S Berk MD  DHMC Gastroenterology Department  DHMC Gastroenterology Department  DHMC Gastroenterology Department  DHMC Gastroenterology Department  DHMC Gastroenterology Department Nashua, New HampshireUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
2012-05-28
2012-05-28
2012-06-10
2012-06-10
2012-06-16
2012-07-03
2012-07-28
2012-09-22
2012-09-30
Clostridium Difficile Colitis (Antibiotic-Associated Colitis, C. difficile colitis)What is Clostridium difficile (C. difficile)?Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a bacterium that is related to the bacterium that cause tetanus and botulism. The C. difficile bacterium has two forms, an active, infectious form that cannot survive in the environment for prolonged periods, and a nonactive, "noninfectious" form, called a spore, that can survive in the environment for prolonged periods. Although spores cannot cause infection directly, when they are ingested they transform into the active, infectious form. C. difficile spores are found frequently in:
They can be found on:
They even can be carried by pets. Thus, these environments are a ready source for infection with C. difficile.
What is Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) colitis?Antibiotic-associated (C. difficile) colitis is an infection of the colon caused by C. difficile that occurs primarily among individuals who have been using antibiotics. It is the most common infection acquired by patients while they are in the hospital. More than three million C. difficile infections occur in hospitals in the US each year. After a stay of only two days in a hospital, 10% of patients will develop infection with C. difficile. C. difficile also may be acquired outside of hospitals in the community. It is estimated that 20,000 infections with C. difficile occur in t... Recommended Reading Related to Clostridium Difficile Colitis (Antibiotic-Associated Colitis, C. difficile colitis)What is flexible sigmoidoscopy?Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the rectum and the lower (sigmoid) colon. The flexible sigmoidoscope is a flexible tube 60 cm long and about the thickness of your little finger. It is inserted gently into the anus and advanced slowly into the rectum and the lower colon. It is an accurate and simple method of investigating the cause of rectal bleeding, change in bowel habit, and rectal symptoms such as pain and diarrhea. Flexible sigmoidoscopy also is a part of colon screening and surveillance for colon cancer. What is the preparation for flexible sigmoidoscopy?In order to obtain accurate results, the rectum and the lower colon must be completely clean of stool. Your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how to cleanse your colon. In general, this requires the use of one or two enemas prior to the procedure and may also call for a laxative and some dietar... Other Related Clostridium Difficile Colitis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Nashua
Nearby Nashua Hospitals *Southern New Hampshire Medical Center St Joseph Hospital HC Solomon Mental Health Center Lowell General Hospital Parkland Medical Center Saints Medical Center Nashoba Valley Medical Center Northeast Rehabilitation Health Network Caritas Holy Family Hospital and Medical Center Elliot Hospital Tewksbury Hospital Catholic Medical Center Lawrence General Hospital Hampstead Hospital Manchester VA Medical Center Isham Health Center Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Haverhill Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Health Alliance Burbank Hospital Emerson Hospital Merrimack Valley Hospital HealthAlliance Hospital Leominster Campus Lahey Clinic Medical Center Baldpate Hospital Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center HEALTHSOUTH New England Rehabilitation Hospital Monadnock Community Hospital UMass Memorial Clinton Hospital Winchester Hospital UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital McLean Hospital Heywood Hospital Melrose Wakefield Hospital Lawrence Memorial Hospital Anna Jaques Hospital New Hampshire Hospital North Shore Medical Center Concord Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital Exeter Hospital Kindred Hospital Boston North Shore  Somerville Hospital  Mount Auburn Hospital  Newton Wellesley Hospital  Youville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center  Cambridge Hospital  Westborough State Hospital  Whidden Memorial Hospital  Caritas St Elizabeth's Medical Center  Franciscan Hospital for Children  Beverly Hospital  Kindred Hospital Boston  MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Union Hospital  North Shore Children's Hospital  Salem Hospital & the Birthplace  Arbour HRI Hospital  Lawrence F Quigley Memorial Hospital  Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital  M I T Medical  Kindred Specialty Hospital Natick  MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital  Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital  Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Westborough  Massachusetts General Hospital  Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary  Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston Burn Hospital  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Children's Hospital Boston  Dana Farber Cancer Institute  Brigham & Women's Hospital  New England Baptist Hospital  VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus  Tufts New England Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Clostridium Difficile Colitis (Antibiotic-Associated Colitis, C. difficile colitis) by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
9 articles-
Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
-
Diarrhea
- Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
-
Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the small and large intestine, but which can affect other parts of the digestive system as well. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss are common symptoms.
-
Dehydration
- Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent it from occurring.
-
Ulcerative Colitis
- Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to Crohn's disease, and together they are referred to as inflammatory bowel disease. Treatment depends upon the type of ulcerative colitis diagnosed.
-
Fever
- Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
-
Stool Color & Texture Changes (Black, Red, Maroon, Green, Yellow, Gray, Tarry, Sticky)
- Stool color is generally brown. When stool color changes, often, an individual becomes concerned. The presence of the bilirubin in bile is generally responsible for stool color. Bilirubin concentration can vary bile color from light yellow to almost black in color. Changes in bilirubin can cause stool to turn green, gray, or clay-like in color. Intestinal bleeding may turn stool black, tarry, red, maroon, or smelly stool. Medication and food may also affect stool color.
-
Colitis
- Inflammation of the inner lining of the colon is referred to as colitis. Symptoms of the inflammation of the colon lining include diarrhea, pain, and blood in the stool. There are several causes of colitis including infection, ischemia of the colon, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, Ulcerative colitis, or microscopic colitis). Treatment depends on the cause of the colitis.
-
The Digestive System
- Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
-
Abdominal Pain
-
Medications
22 articles -
Procedures & Tests
4 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
0 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
5 articles -
Health News
11 articles -
Health Features
1 articles
