Infections caused by Clostridium difficile in cancer patients

The purpose of the study was to determine the role of antibiotics as a risk factor of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in hospitalized cancer patients.

Material and Methods. The study included 844 hospitalized cancer patients with diarrhea. The presence of Clostridium difficile toxins A and B in the fecal samples was determined by enzyme immunoassay.

Results. Clostridium difficile toxins A and B were detected in 100 cancer patients (42 % men and 58 % women). The incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea was higher in women than in men (р<0.02). Patients with hemoblastosis and gastrointestinal tumors were more susceptible to the development of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (p<0.02). The use of cephalosporin antibiotics was the main risk factor (р<0.001). In our study, 46 % of the patients took antibiotics.

Conclusion. Clostridium difficile was shown to play a significant role in the development of diarrhea in cancer patients, and early detection of Clostridium difficile infection contributes to the early onset of therapy.

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