Dr. Starpoli's Blog

In a retrospective study from Japan, the chronic use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), often used in the treatment of GERD, was found to be associated with a greater than 3-fold increased risk of developing Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD), Takatoshi Kitazawa, MD, assistant professor at Teikyo University in Tokyo, Japan, reported during a poster session at the 51st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

Bacteria. Microbes. Germs. The words tend to make us squirm or draw back in fear. But are they really all that bad? Recently, researchers have been looking for ways to make the bacteria and microbes we have work for our immune system instead of against it.

Hsu et al from the University of Wisconsin reviewed the evidence on the prevention of the endemic healthcare-associated Clostridium difficle infection.