Larry K. Kociolek, MD, MSCI

There remains a need for novel therapeutic strategies, such as a low-trehalose diet, for CDI treatment and prevention, and this is a potential area of future clinical investigation. The clinical benefit of such strategies should be proven before wide-scale changes to trehalose use in food manufacturing are undertaken.

It is important to understand the relative severity of CDI in patients in the ICU because it effects treatment decisions. However, primary prevention remains a vitally important strategy to limit morbidity and mortality related to CDI in this vulnerable patient population.

New guidelines for Clostridium difficile infection call for increased attention to the proper diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases to guard against the unwarranted use of antibiotic drugs.