Which antibiotic is used for Clostridioides difficile infection?

Which antibiotic is used for Clostridioides difficile infection?

• A. Vancomycin
• B. Amoxicillin
• C. Azithromycin
• D. Ciprofloxacin

Answer: (A)

When treating a Clostridioides difficile infection, you want an antibiotic that acts directly in the gut where the bacteria reside. Vancomycin given by mouth stays in the intestinal lumen because it isn’t absorbed well systemically, so it reaches high concentrations in the colon to inhibit C. difficile and reduce toxin production and symptoms like diarrhea. The other antibiotics listed don’t target C. difficile effectively in the colon, and some can even worsen overgrowth by disrupting normal gut flora. Thus, oral vancomycin is the best choice for this infection.

When treating a Clostridioides difficile infection, you want an antibiotic that acts directly in the gut where the bacteria reside. Vancomycin given by mouth stays in the intestinal lumen because it isn’t absorbed well systemically, so it reaches high concentrations in the colon to inhibit C. difficile and reduce toxin production and symptoms like diarrhea. The other antibiotics listed don’t target C. difficile effectively in the colon, and some can even worsen overgrowth by disrupting normal gut flora. Thus, oral vancomycin is the best choice for this infection.