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C. difficile, or clostridium difficile colitis, is a bacterial infection that causes an inflammation in the colon. Symptoms include stomach pain, diarrhea, and fever. C. difficile can severely damage the colon and has the potential to be fatal. The condition most commonly occurs in elderly people living in a healthcare or assisted living facility.
Most people develop a c. difficile infection after using antibiotics. This is because antibiotics are designed to destroy bacteria in the body, and while they mainly destroy the infected bacteria, they can also potentially destroy some of the healthy bacteria. When this happens, the number of infected bacteria in the body quickly outweighs the number of healthy bacteria, which loses the ability to keep the harmful bacteria in check. C. difficile develops when the harmful bacteria grows and spirals out of control. In serious cases, c. difficile can lead to further complications like dehydration, kidney failure, and death.
Most people develop c. difficile in the hospital or in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. While children and young adults can potentially develop c. difficile, it occurs most often in the elderly. A number of factors put a person at greater risk of developing c. difficile; these include taking antibiotics, staying in a health care facility, and having a pre-existing illness or serious medical procedure. This puts nursing home residents at increased risk, as they often take antibiotics, have weakened immune systems, and are exposed to germs from other residents.
Because of this, nursing homes should take every precaution to protect residents from infection. By following good sanitation practices, minimizing residents’ exposure to germs, and carefully monitoring antibiotics usage, caregivers and nursing home staff can limit a resident’s risk of developing c. difficile.
A nursing home which fails to adequately protect its residents from infection by being careless or neglectful may be responsible for any related medical expenses and pain and suffering. Georgia state law requires nursing homes to make restitution if they have neglected their legal duty towards a resident.
If your loved one developed c. difficile at a nursing home or assisted living facility, and you are wondering if you have a claim, please feel free to call and speak to one of our experienced Georgia nursing home neglect lawyers today. Our consultations are always free. If you would like more information about this topic, be sure to click on our other videos, or better yet, click the subscribe button to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Thank you.
