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Diarrhea following administration of antibiotics can be caused by various pathogens, among which Clostridium difficile is the most important, responsible for the most severe cases. However, several other toxin-producing pathogens may mimic C. difficile infection, including C. perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella spp. Taiwanese researchers now identified another Clostridium species causing antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
When examining stool specimens from 2471 patients seen between 2002 and 2007 with suspected antibiotic-associated diarrhea for C. difficile using selective media, the researchers observed in 5.5% colonies that resembled those of C. difficile but tested negative for toxins A and B. Further characterization of the…