Q: What is Clostridium difficile?
A: Clostridium difficile is a type of bacteria.
Q: What is another name for Clostridium difficile?
A: Another name for Clostridium difficile is C. diff.
Q: Where can C. diff live in the human body without causing any problems?
A: C. diff can live in the human colon without causing any problems.
Q: How many adults have C. diff living in their colons?
A: About 2-5% of adults have C. diff living in their colons.
Q: What happens when C. diff bacteria grow out of control in the colon?
A: When C. diff bacteria grow out of control in the colon, it can cause a serious illness called C. diff colitis which is inflammation of the colon.
Q: Where is C. diff infection getting more common?
A: C. diff infection is getting more common in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities.
Q: How many people does C. diff kill each year just in the United States?
A: C. diff kills about 14,000 people a year just in the United States.