Antimicrobial-associated diarrhea is often caused by Clostridium difficile; this disease can best be diagnosed by detection of fecal cytotoxin in a tissue culture assay and, when therapy is indicated, can be effectively treated with orally administered vancomycin. The cause of disease in most cases of antimicrobial-associated diarrhea that do not involve C. difficile is not known; fortunately, this form of diarrhea 1S usually mild. Antimicrobial-associated diarrhea may also rarely involve s. aureus and certain enteric pathogens. 37 QHAPTER 4 Qf. TECTlON. ISOLATION Al: iQ. . . IQENTlFICATlON...

Antimicrobial-associated diarrhea is often caused by Clostridium difficile; this disease can best be diagnosed by detection of fecal cytotoxin in a tissue culture assay and, when therapy is indicated, can be effectively treated with orally administered vancomycin. The cause of disease in most cases of antimicrobial-associated diarrhea that do not involve C. difficile is not known; fortunately, this form of diarrhea 1S usually mild. Antimicrobial-associated diarrhea may also rarely involve s. aureus and certain enteric pathogens. 37 QHAPTER 4 Qf. TECTlON. ISOLATION Al:iQ...IQENTlFICATlON OF...