Antibiotics are a double-edged sword. Many don’t know this hence they seek for and use antibiotics at the slightest fever or ill health. In developed countries, it is the patient cajoling the doctor for antibiotics but in less developed countries, people buy antibiotics from stores as one would buy candy without a prescription. Antibiotics can cause harm
One of these is the antibiotic associated colitis caused by Clostridium difficile also known as pseudomembranous colitis. The infection is common in people taking antibiotics and it presents as mild-moderate-severe diarrhea with abdominal cramping.
Practically all antibiotics can cause this disease.
The risk factors include current or recent use of antibiotics, prolonged use of antibiotics and the use of more than one antibiotic agent at a time. Greater than 3 antibiotics being used concurrently are associated with C difficile-associated diarrhea.
The good news is that most patients recover completely without treatment but many others have to be on prolonged treatment to stop the diarrhea. The mortality rate can be as high as 30% in seriously ill patients.
People with diarrhea should always see their doctors because they ought to be assessed for dehydration and treated accordingly. If your doctor suspects C- difficile as a culprit he/she will send a stool sample to the laboratory for analysis and if positive will commence you on treatment.
Sometimes the patient has to be on different medications before the infection is treated. It can be a stressful and distressing journey for both patient and doctor.
In a nutshell, antibiotics can cause harm and indiscriminate use of it can lead to resistance which will blunt its effectiveness. See a doctor and if he/she says you don’t need it, stay away from it…antibiotics are not sweeties.
