Highlights
- •The rate, risk factors, and sequelae of asymptomatic colonization by C. difficile are not well characterized in children with cystic fibrosis (CF).
- •Thirty-two percent of asymptomatic children with CF tested positive for C. difficile, with none developing symptomatic infection during 90-day follow-up.
- •Higher BMI and exposure to specific antibiotic classes (cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and vancomycin) were associated with C. difficile colonization.
Abstract
Patients with CF (pwCF) have high antibiotic use and an altered intestinal microbiome,
known risk factors for infection with Clostridioides difficile. However, in adults with CF, C. difficile infection (CDI) is uncommon and asymptomatic colonization with C. difficile occurs frequently, for reasons that remain unclear. We investigated the rate, risk
factors, and sequelae of asymptomatic C. difficile colonization in children with CF (cwCF). We identified that 32% of cwCF were colonized
with C. difficile without acute gastrointestinal symptoms. Higher BMI and exposure to specific antibiotic classes (cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones,
and vancomycin) were significantly associated with C. difficile colonization. No children developed symptomatic CDI in 90-days following enrollment.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 28, 2022
Accepted:
December 23,
2022
Received in revised form:
December 20,
2022
Received:
October 20,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
