Cherag Daruwala¹, Giancarlo Mercogliano², Gary Newman² and Mark J. Ingerman³

¹Gastroenterology Fellow, Lankenau Hospital, 252 Lankenau Medical Bldg. East, 100 E Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA 19096. ²Gastroenterology Medical Staff, Lankenau Hospital, 252 Lankenau Medical Bldg. East, 100 E Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA 19096. ³Infectious Diseases Medical Staff, Lankenau Hospital, 164 Lankenau Medical Bldg. East, 100 E Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA 19096.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report a case of C. difficile bacteremia in a Crohn’s disease patient and to review the literature on previously reported cases.

Methods: Searches of MEDLINE and PubMed databases were made.

Results:  We report the first case of C. difficile bacteremia in a Crohn’s disease patient. There are 15 other reported cases of C. difficile bacteremia reported in the literature. We found that the majority of patients (10 of 15 patients) had polymicrobial bacteremia and that the overall mortality rate is significant, with 6 of 15 reported patients dying.

Conclusion: In conclusion, we find that C. difficile bacteremia is associated with a significant mortality rate and it would seem prudent to consider aggressive antibiotic therapy.