Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Clostridium difficile is a nasty bacterium that pops up in the gut after antibiotic therapy for other infections.  This highly contagious germ can trigger life-threatening colitis.  The treatment for seven infections has been the powerful antibiotic vancomycin and for milder infections metronidazole.  The first additional antibiotic be developed for this dangerous condition in 30 years, fidaxomicin (Dificid), was approved for adults, 9 years ago.  Now the FDA announced its approval for use in children 6 months of age or older.  This drug gave significantly higher sustained cures than vancomycin after a randomized trial at the Children’s Hospital of Chicago.  Its available as an oral suspension or tablets.   https://www.mrknewsroom.com/news-release/prescription-medicine-news/fda-approves-mercks-dificid-fidaxomicin-treat-clostridioides   Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/2UKbc2aYWYc