Clostridium difficile infection and gut microbiota

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is associated with disturbance of intestinal microbiota. Microbiota of CDI patients usually shows decreased diversity, increase of facultative anaerobes, and decreased levels of bifidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Lachnospiraceae, and butyrate-producing bacteria. Studies including symptomatic, asymptomatic, recurrent, and fecal therapy-treated patients could result in the recognition of microbial markers for CDI risk or could provide the combination of beneficial microbes for a C. difficile-specific probiotic.