Clostridium difficile - Associated disease: A rising epidemic in our elderly population

Clostridium difficile has been associated with a spectrum of disease, ranging from simple and self-limited diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis and even death. Increasing age has been identified as an important risk factor for C. difficile infection, as well as for the development of C. difficile-associated disease (CDAD). In this CME article, the authors review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies for CDAD, particularly as it applies to the elderly population.