Clostridium Difficile Colitis Center - San Luis Obispo, CA
San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo * Endoscopy Center of the Central Coast  Endoscopy Center of the Central Coast  Endoscopy Center of the Central Coast  Endoscopy Center of the Central Coast  Endoscopy Center of the Central Coast  Stanford Liver Clinic  Central Coast Gastroenterology  Central Coast Gastroenterology  Central Coast Gastroenterology  Benipal & Feldman MDs  Bruce F Mize MD Inc  Atul B Vachhani MD  Bruce F Mize MD Inc  Atul B Vachhani MD  GI Consultants  GI Consultants  Sansum Clinic  Sansum Clinic  Sansum Clinic  Sansum Clinic  Digestive Disease Consultants  Sansum Clinic  Digestive Disease Consultants  Alvin Y Au MD San Luis Obispo, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-27
2012-06-23
2012-06-23
2012-06-23
2012-07-07
2012-07-21
2012-09-22
2012-10-06
2012-10-06
2012-10-20
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)Stool Color & Texture Changes (Black, Red, Maroon, Green, Yellow, Gray, Tarry, Sticky) » What color is normal stool?Stool (feces) is most commonly brown in color, and many people become curious or concerned when the color of their stool changes. Most stool-to-stool changes in color have little meaning; however, some changes, particularly if the changes are consistent from stool-to-stool and not present in only one stool, can be important. What causes normal stool color?The color of stool is normally due to the presence of bile, specifically, the bilirubin in bile. Bilirubin is formed from hemoglobin after hemoglobin is released from red blood cells during their destruction, a part of the normal process of replacing the red blood cells in blood. The released hemoglobin is modified chemically and removed from the blood by the liver. In the liver the chemically changed hemoglobin (called bilirubin) is attached to other chemicals and secreted from the cells of the liver into bile. Depending on the conc... Other Related Clostridium Difficile Colitis ArticlesEmergency Contact for San Luis Obispo
Nearby San Luis Obispo Hospitals *Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center French Hospital Medical Center Atascadero State Hospital Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Twin Cities Community Hospital Marian 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
