Clostridium difficile O27 continues to spread in Marseille causing severe diarrhea, and even death in the most sensitive. 7 new cases in one month are to be deplored.
The Clostridium difficile O27 bacterium, which causes severe diarrhea and even death in the most sensitive, continues to worry the Bouches-du-Rhône medical community (13). Indeed, according to the Regional Health Agency of Provence-Alpes Côté d’Azur, contacted by why actor, other new cases of infection are to be deplored. “For the moment, we still cannot contain the epidemic,” says the Agency.
7 new cases of infection in one month
Since March 2013, Clostridium difficile strain O27 has been suspected of being the cause of 3 deaths in Bouches-du-Rhône, according to ARS Paca. Currently, around ten infected patients are still hospitalized at the North hospital in Marseille. In total, 48 people have already been infected with this bacterium. This is seven more than during the last assessment carried out in early October by the Agency. Faced with this observation, the first controversies over the figures had begun. According to Professor Didier Raoult, head of the microbiology laboratory in Marseille hospitals, “the number of deaths would be higher. According to our data, at least, the balance sheet has already reached 8 deaths ”, he recently confided to why actor.
But apart from this controversy over the numbers, this Marseille virologist confided above all his concerns about the specific characteristics of the O27 toxin from Clostridium difficile. The latter make it a formidable virus!
The 027 toxin is epidemic, even pandemic
Clostridium difficile O27 appeared a little over ten years ago. This O27 toxin worries scientists because it is very contagious and has a high pandemic potential. “This is why it has reached the whole world”, affirmed Professor Didier Raoult.
In addition, strain O27 is very often associated with high mortality. The death rate is 30% with the first cases reported in France. However, until now, this bacterium had spared France, except for an episode of cases in Lille in 2006, which had all the same caused 23 deaths in the end. Since then, she had disappeared, without scientists being able to explain too much how and why.
The resistance of the strain to antibiotics: a therapeutic problem
Finally, Clostridium difficile O27 also poses another problem for doctors, because it is a multidrug resistant bacteria. Faced with a case of infection, health professionals may have a therapeutic concern, because very often, there is only one effective antibiotic: colimycin. Unfortunately, one can also become resistant to this antibiotic very quickly. Several strains of this bacterium, which come from Israel for example, have in fact become entirely resistant to all types of antibiotics. “In this case, the doctors are really at a therapeutic dead end”, concluded Professor Didier Raoult.
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