Read condition-specific symptoms and clinical context for Clostridioides difficile. A spore-forming bacterium with distinct colonization and infection states.
C. difficile is a spore-forming bacterium that can be carried without illness. Toxigenic strains can cause diarrhea and inflammation of the colon, often during or after antibiotic use disrupts the gut microbiome. A positive test alone can reflect colonization. This 3D view depicts a growing vegetative rod, not a dormant spore.
Possible signs of symptomatic infection, including colitis; carriage is a separate state.
Possible symptoms: Diarrhea; Abdominal pain or tenderness; Fever; Nausea; Loss of appetite.
Contact a healthcare professional about diarrhea during or after antibiotics; severe symptoms need prompt assessment.
A person may carry C. difficile and test positive without having CDI.
Carriage or infection can be present without the disease symptoms listed above.
Clinical context and appropriate testing distinguish carriage from illness.
Source check: 2026-09-19. Educational content; independent scientific review remains pending.