Original article
An investigation into Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin-associated diarrhoea

https://doi.org/10.1016/0195-6701(91)90146-YGet rights and content

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to establish the incidence of diarrhoea associated with the presence of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens. The results indicate a high risk group, namely elderly hospitalized patients, who should be investigated for this organism in a similar way to Clostridium difficile if symptoms occur. The significance of antibiotic association is suggested and cross-infection was shown to be a possibility. Detection of the enterotoxin was accompanied in all cases by the presence of high faecal counts of enterotoxigenic strains of C. perfringens.

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