The Role of Mucosal Microbiome in Recurrence of Clostridioides Difficile Infection

Patients who have recently been diagnosed with C. difficile infection and completed treatment will be enrolled to undergo evaluation of the colonic mucosa via sigmoid biopsies. Participants will also complete surveys, blood draw and stool collection. Overall goals are to identify whether C. difficile is persisting in the colon mucosa after treated infection, and whether this, and other clinical and microbiome factors may be playing a role in disease recurrence.

Inclusion criteria

• Adults aged 18 and over
• Confirmed C. difficile infection based on positive C. difficile toxin PCR testing and clinical evidence of diarrhea

Exclusion criteria

• Known pregnancy
• Prior diagnosis of C. difficile infection within 2 months of this diagnosis
• Other known active gastrointestinal infectious process
• Known diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, microscopic colitis, celiac disease or other inflammatory conditions
• Vulnerable adults
• Any other disease(s), condition(s) or habit(s) that would interfere with completion of study, or in the judgment of the investigator would potentially interfere with compliance to this study or would adversely affect study outcomes.