Dr. Benjamin Havemann with Austin Gastro on Clostridium Difficile Infection (C. Diff)

Dr. Benjamin Havemann, a gastroenterologist with Austin Gastro, explains this increasingly common bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the colon (colitis), and sometimes severe diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and death if not treated quickly. C. diff has evolved and has become very hard to treat and is an infection that can easily recur. C. diff is sometimes triggered by using antibiotics which causes the loss of healthy bacteria in the digestive system, allowing the growth of this unhealthy and aggressive bacterial infection. A new and very successful treatment option for C. diff is called Fecal Microbiota Transplant, which involves the transplantation of fecal bacteria from a healthy individual into the colon of the recipient, and allows for the restoration of healthy flora through a variety of modalities. FMT has proven to be a very effective treatment option for these patients.