Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2016 Jul;22(7):1744–1754. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0000000000000793

Figure 1. Life cycle of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI).

Figure 1

CDI first requires a susceptible host and microbiota, which often occurs following antibiotic exposure that decreases the diversity and composition of the gut’s microbial community. Some patients never develop disease, either clearing the infection or becoming asymptomatically colonized. Many patients shed spores asymptomatically following CDI. Even after successful treatment, some patients remain susceptible and can have recurrences. Fecal microbiota transplantation can help restore colonization resistance and break the cycle of recurrence