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Xin-Yun Xiao, Xian-Ping Zhao, Zhou-Jin Tan, Department of Microbiology, Medical College, Hu'nan University of TCM, Changsha 410208, Hu'nan Province, China
Supported by: National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81173214.
Correspondence to: Zhou-Jin Tan, Professor, Department of Microbiology, Medical College, Hu'nan University of TCM, 300 Bachelor Road, Science Park in Hanpu, Changsha 410208, Hu'nan Province, China. tanzhjin@sohu.com
Received: February 2, 2015 Revised: March 4, 2015 Accepted: March 12, 2015 Published online: April 8, 2015
Clostridium difficile (CD), as one of the normal flora in human and animal intestine, is a Gram-positive anaerobic bacillus. It could cause opportunistic infections, resulting in CD-associated diarrhea, CD-associated colitis and other intestinal diseases. There have ever been massive epidemics of CD infection in both China and other countries, and it has became a global public health problem. The main pathogenic toxins of CD are toxin A, toxin B and newly discovered binary toxins (CDT). For CD infection prevention and treatment, the reasonable use of new antimicrobial drugs, traditional Chinese medicine, probiotics, CD vaccine and other clinical treatments can be adopted.
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