C diff virus nhs

Clostridium difficile. About clostridium difficile Clostridium difficile, also known as C. This page covers: Symptoms of a C. When to get medical advice Treatment for C. The most common symptoms are: watery diarrhoea , which can be bloody painful tummy cramps feeling sick signs of dehydration , such as a dry mouth , headaches and peeing less often than normal a high temperature fever of above 38C Who's most at risk of C.

When to get medical advice Visiting your GP surgery with a possible C. Get medical advice if: you have persistent diarrhoea after finishing a course of antibiotics you have bloody diarrhoea you have diarrhoea and experience severe tummy pain, a high fever, a rapid heart rate or fainting you have symptoms of severe dehydration , such as confusion, drowsiness, only passing small amounts of urine or no urine at all Diarrhoea can be caused by a number of conditions and is a common side effect of antibiotics, so having diarrhoea while taking antibiotics doesn't necessarily mean you have a C.

Treatment for C. Looking after yourself at home If you're well enough to be treated at home, the following measures can help relieve your symptoms and prevent the infection spreading: make sure you finish the entire course of any antibiotics you're prescribed, even if you're feeling better drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and eat plain foods such as soup, rice, pasta and bread if you feel hungry take paracetamol for tummy pain or a fever don't take anti-diarrhoeal medication, as this can stop the infection being cleared from your body regularly wash your hands and contaminated surfaces, objects or sheets see How to stop C.

How you get C. How to stop C. The following measures can help: stay at home until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have cleared up wash your hands regularly with soap and water, particularly after going to the toilet and before eating — use liquid rather than bar soap and don't use flannels or nail brushes clean contaminated surfaces — such as the toilet, flush handle, light switches and door handles — with a bleach-based cleaner after each use don't share towels and flannels wash contaminated clothes and sheets separately from other washing at the highest possible temperature when visiting someone in hospital, observe any visiting guidelines, avoid taking any children under the age of 12, and wash your hands with liquid soap and water when entering and leaving ward areas — don't rely on alcohol hand gels, as they're not effective against C.

Tweet Click here to share this page on Twitter This will open a new window. Print Click here to print this page This will open your print options in a new window. Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window. A blood test may also be needed to help determine how severe the infection is. Sometimes you may need other tests or scans in hospital to check if your bowel is damaged.

Your GP will advise if you need hospital treatment if you're not already in hospital. If you're in hospital, you might be moved to a room of your own during treatment to reduce the risk of the infection spreading to others. But the symptoms come back in around 1 in 5 cases and treatment may need to be repeated. If you're well enough to recover from Clostridium difficile C. Your GP may contact you regularly to make sure you're getting better.

Call them if your symptoms return after treatment finishes, as it may need to be repeated. The bacteria often live harmlessly because other bacteria normally found in the bowel keep it under control. But some antibiotics can interfere with the balance of bacteria in the bowel, which can cause the C. When this happens, C. Once out of the body, the bacteria turn into resistant cells called spores. Cookies on GOV. UK We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

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