Clostridium difficile in children: Colonisation and disease

Clostridium difficile is the commonest cause of hospital acquired diarrhoea in adults and is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. The clinical significance of C. difficile in children, however, is less certain. In this article we discuss colonisation and infection and describe C. difficile in childhood in terms of risk factors, epidemiology and management. (C) 2011 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.