A resident of a long-term care facility has contracted Clostridium difficile with frequent diarrhea and hyperactive bowel sounds. What process in the small intestine is most likely accompanying the current status?

Toxins are produced by the Clostridium difficile, a form of bacteria, in the intestine that destroys the cells, produces patches of inflammatory cells and destroys cells inside the colon, and causes watery diarrhea.

Explanation:

Clostridium difficile causes diseases like diarrhoea and can lead to something as serious as life threatening colon infection. Staying in a health care facility increases the chances of contacting such types of bacteria. This is because when antibiotics are given, it aggressively attacks the bacteria causing infections and by this they inevitably cause collateral damage to the good bacteria required in the human body.

A void of bacteria is caused in the body and such opportunity is seized by the Clostridium difficile. Once it enters its host t multiplies rapidly and produces toxins to damage the colon producing diarrhoea, inflammation and intestinal bleeding as well. The most critical case occurs when the colon is dilated to a level in which there is a risk of perforation.