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Clostridioides difficile colitis is an important source of hospital-acquired diarrhea associated with antibiotic use. Symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea, typically following a course of antibiotics; however, some cases of fulminant disease may manifest with shock, ileus, or megacolon. Nonfulminant colitis is treated with oral fidaxomicin. C difficile colitis has a high potential for recurrence, and recurrent episodes are also treated with fidaxomicin. Bezlotoxumab is another medication that may be used in populations at high risk for further recurrence. Fulminant disease is treated with maximal medical therapy and early surgical consultation. Antibiotic stewardship is critical to preventing C difficile colitis.

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Amoebiasis is a parasitic infection that represents a public health problem in developing countries including Asia and Latin America where it is endemic (1000-5000 cases/100,000 habitants/year). The majority of patients have an asymptomatic course; however, 10% of patients develop complications with high morbidity and mortality, such as colonic perforation or fulminant amoebic colitis. We report a case in which a 73-year-old female presented with an acute abdomen that was initially attributed to a bowel obstruction that rapidly progressed to fulminant colitis with bowel perforation requiring total colectomy. Pre-surgical endoscopic histopathological examination revealed findings suggestive of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites that were later confirmed in the colon post-surgical specimen leading to a diagnosis of fulminant amoebic colitis. This atypical presentation of amoebiasis, further expands the already broad differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pathology in the elderly population. A high index of suspicion is required for its prompt treatment and to prevent life-threatening complications.

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BACKGROUND: Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) has become an increasingly significant disease not only as healthcare-associated infection, but also as community-acquired (CA) infection worldwide. CDI caused by the NAP1/BI/027 strain is reported to be more severe, difficult to cure, and frequently associated with recurrences in North America and Europe. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for continuous lower abdominal pain 4 weeks after eradication therapy against Helicobacter pylori. While she was treated with fasting on the suspicion of ischemic colitis, she experienced septic shock. Emergent subtotal proctocolectomy revealed fulminant pseudomembranous C. difficile colitis. The C. difficile isolate recovered from the patient was identified as ribotype 027, which has been reported to be uncommon in Japan. CONCLUSION: We report a rare case of CA fulminant pseudomembranous colitis caused by ribotype 027 C. difficile after H. pylori eradication therapy.

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Clostridium species are spore-forming gram-positive anaerobic rod bacteria that cause a broad range of infections in humans, including intra-abdominal infections, myonecrosis, and bacteremia. Pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) is a severe form of infection caused by Clostridioides difficile. Clostridial bacteremia usually occurs in the settings of neutropenia, alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, sickle cell anemia, malignancy, hemodialysis, inflammatory bowel disease, and AIDS. We report a case of fulminant PMC leading to C. paraputrificum bacteremia in an otherwise immunocompetent patient. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of such an occurrence.

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BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile is an increasingly common source of in-patient morbidity and mortality. We aim to assess the effects of diverting loop ileostomy (DLI) versus total abdominal colectomy (TAC) for Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC), in terms of mortality and morbidity. METHODS: Systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases for randomized and non-randomized studies comparing DLI and TAC for fulminant CDC. Meta-analysis was carried out for mortality and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Five non-randomized studies qualified for inclusion in the quantitative synthesis. In total, 3683 patients were allocated to DLI (n = 733) or TAC (n = 2950). The overall mortality was equivalent (OR 0.73; 95% CI 0.45-1.20; P = 0.22). Regarding secondary outcomes, the pooled analysis revealed the following equivalent rates of postoperative events: thromboembolism (OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.14-1.43; P = 0.18), acute renal failure (OR 1.71; 95% CI 0.91-3.23; P = 0.10), surgical site infection (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.11-8.59; P = 0.97), pneumonia (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.36-2.66; P = 0.97), urinary tract infection (OR 0.81; 95% CI 0.26-2.52; P = 0.72), and reoperation (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.50-1.82; P = 0.78). The ostomy reversal rate was significantly higher in DLI (OR 12.55; 95% CI 3.31-47.55; P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The overall morbidity and mortality rates between DLI and TAC for the treatment of CDC seemed to be equivalent. Evidence from a randomized controlled trial is needed to clarify the timing and understand the impact of DLI for CDC.

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Amebiasis caused by protozoa Entamoeba histolytica (EH) is the third leading parasitic cause of human mortality. Although amebiasis is endemic in India, only about 10% of the infected individuals manifest disease. Clinical spectrum of amebiasis ranges from asymptomatic colonization to amebic colitis to hemorrhagic and fulminant colitis. Factors causing an invasive infection are not completely understood. Pathogen virulence, host immunity, and ability of the pathogen to evade host immune response play vital role in determining the disease course. Host factors such as immunocompromised states may make an individual susceptible to develop symptomatic infection. Malignancies usually result in chronic debilitation which may make the individual prone to develop invasive amebiasis with rapid progression. We report two cases of invasive amebiasis which developed a fulminant course in the immediate postoperative period after abdominal surgeries for visceral malignancies.

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Introduction: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a procedure involving transfer of stool from a healthy donor into the intestinal tract of a diseased recipient to restore intestinal microbial composition and functionality. FMT's tremendous success in recurrent and refractory Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) catalyzed gut microbiota research and opened the door to microbiome-based therapy for various gastrointestinal and other disorders.Areas covered: We used PubMed search engine to identify significant publications in the field of CDI and FMT. Here we present an overview of the current literature on FMT's use for recurrent, non-severe, severe, and fulminant CDI and on promising future application.Expert opinion: FMT as the best tool for treatment of antibiotic-refractory CDI has gained immense popularity over the last decade. The future of gut microbiota-based therapy should include oral formulations that contain well-described ingredients in effective doses, clear mechanism of action, and excellent safety profile.

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A 74-year-old male was referred to our critical care department for refractory severe watery diarrhea with advanced leukocytosis (over 70,000/µl) after multiple administrations of eradication therapy against Helicobacter pylori (HP). He was diagnosed as having fulminant colitis due to Clostridioides difficile after antimicrobial eradication therapy. He was given intravenous metronidazole and oral vancomycin. He also received supportive therapy including continuous hemodiafiltration for severe metabolic acidosis. However, despite emergency open sigmoidectomy, he died. The C. difficile isolate recovered was PCR-ribotype 002, which was positive for toxins A and B but negative for binary toxin. HP eradication therapy for prevention of chronic gastritis and stomach cancer is now in widespread use. Although such secondary severe complications are rare, we consider it to be necessary to pay sufficient attention when administering HP eradication therapy.

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Pseudomembranous colitis, also called antibiotic-associated colitis, is caused by the gram-positive anaerobic bacterium Clostridium difficile (C.difficile). The infection is common in elderly patients on chronic antibiotic use and in immunosuppressed patients. We report a rare case of pseudomembranous colitis in a 49-year-old male who presented with cramping abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and loose stools, without any pre-existing immunosuppression or chronic drug intake. The computed tomography (CT) picture was suggestive of fulminant ulcerative colitis and the patient underwent total colectomy in view of severe disease. This patient also had rectal bleeding caused by a bleeding pseudoaneurysm of the right internal pudendal artery, which posed diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Embolization of the pseudoaneurysm was done in the post-operative period. Though the clinical and radiological pictures were suggestive of ulcerative colitis in our patient, this was disproved in the histopathological examination and by the negative serum anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) testing. The presence of extensive pseudomembranous colitis in this patient masked the bleeding pseudoaneurysm of the internal pudendal artery, as bleeding is a common presentation in fulminant colitis, leading to a delay in the management of the pseudoaneurysm. Such a presentation was not reported in the literature to the best of our knowledge. Considering co-existent pathologies, especially in patients who present with an unobvious clinical picture, can prevent delay in the definitive diagnosis of these conditions.

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Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an agent which exists asymptomatically in most individuals and may cause latent life-time infection following contamination. Symptomatic CMV infection develops most commonly in organ transplant recipients and in individuals who receive immunosuppressive drugs, undergo haemodialysis or have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The link between ulcerative colitis and CMV infection and the efficacy of antiviral therapy in these individuals have been demonstrated. Due to the fact that synchronous onset of CMV and ulcerative colitis is a very rare clinical condition, we present here a synchronous-onset fulminant CMV and ulcerative colitis in a 58-year-old man without any other co-morbidities.

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We report a case of community-acquired fulminant colitis caused by Clostridium difficile in Japan. A 46-year-old woman was diagnosed with severe infectious enterocolitis and was admitted at another hospital. The stool culture was positive for toxigenic C. difficile. Since the patient presented with fulminant C. difficile infection (CDI) with toxic megacolon, respiratory insufficiency, and circulatory failure, she was transferred to Kyorin University Hospital for intensive care. Intubation and antibiotic therapy were performed. The general condition improved with conservative treatment, and she was discharged without sequelae. While the recovered isolate was toxin A and B-positive and binary toxin-positive, it was identified as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotype ts0592 and slpA sequence type ts0592. The isolate was different from PCR ribotype 027 epidemic in Europe and North America. In Japan, binary toxin-producing strains are rare and have not caused an epidemic to date. Furthermore, there are few data on community-acquired CDI in Japan. In this case, a non-elderly woman with no major risk factors such as antibiotic use, administration of proton pump inhibitor and history of gastrointestinal surgery developed community-acquired fulminant CDI caused by the binary toxin-positive strain, and ICU treatment was required. Further studies focusing on the role of binary toxin-positive C. difficile in the severity of community-acquired CDI are necessary.

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Restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the standard surgical treatment for ulcerative colitis (UC). Emergency colectomies are performed for fulminant colitis (ie, toxic megacolon, profuse bleeding, perforation, or sepsis). The RPC and IPAA involve manipulation of the proximal ileum, which may influence the essential physiological function of gut-associated lymphoid tissues. Circulating plasma immunoglobulin G (p-IgG) deficiency is observed in patients with fulminant UC. In addition, increased levels have been reported in colonic tissues of active UC compared with quiescent disease. We aimed to examine levels of p-IgG for clinical evaluation following emergency colectomies in patients with fulminant UC compared with patients with quiescent disease having elective RPC operations. In total 45 patients received an ileoanal pouch (IAP) due to UC. In all, 27 patients were men and 18 were women. The mean age was 34 years (range: 18-55). Because of fulminant UC, 26 patients had emergency subtotal colectomies with terminal ileostomy (TI). During second operation, the rectum was excised, and an IAP with diverting loop ileostomy (DLI) was performed. Nineteen patients had elective operations and had colectomies performed in conjunction with the pouch operation. Mucosectomy was performed in all groups. As a last procedure, the DLI was closed. Blood samples for immunoglobulin G (IgG) analyses were collected from each patient before the colectomy, after the colectomy with TI (before construction of the pouch), during the period with pouches (prior to DLI closure), and at 1, 2, and 3 years and at mean 13.7 years (range: 10-20) after DLI closure. Immunoglobulin G was determined by immunonephelometric assay technique. The statistics were analyzed by analysis of variance and linear regression. Preoperatively, p-IgG was significantly lower in the patients who had emergency operations compared with the group that had elective operations, 9.9 ± 3.0 vs 11.5 ± 3.3 g/L (P < .03). During the manipulative period with TI and/or DLI, the p-IgG levels were increased in both points, but the increase was not statistically significant (P = .26 and P = .19). During functional IAP at 1, 2, and 3 years and at mean 13.7 years (range: 10-20), there was a statistical increase in p-IgG levels (P < .002, P < .005, P < .005, and P < .0001) compared with preoperative levels. These changes did not correlate with episodes of pouchitis (P = .51). In patients having elective operations, p-IgG did not change preoperatively. After 12 months with functional pouches, the p-IgG levels were similar in both groups to the elective patient group preoperatively. In conclusion, p-IgG was found to be significantly lower in the emergency surgery patients compared with the elective surgery group preoperatively. This difference was probably due to increased losses and impaired gut lymphoid tissue production of IgG in the acute fulminant phase of UC. After 12 months of DLI closure, significant differences were no longer found between the emergency and elective surgery groups. Restoration and increased p-IgG levels after RPC would be due to an exaggerated response to make up for lower precolectomy values and may be interpreted as a rehabilitation biomarker.

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INTRODUCTION: Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) is commonly used to induce a murine fulminant colitis model. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to decrease the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but the effect of its activator, HGFA, is not well characterized. Arginine reduces effects of oxidative stress but its effect on IBD is not well known. The primary aim is to determine whether HGF and HGFA, or arginine will decrease IBD symptoms such as pain and diarrhea in a DSS-induced fulminant colitis murine model. METHODS: A severe colitis was induced in young, male Fischer 344 rats with 4% (w/v) DSS oral solution for seven days; rats were sacrificed on day 10. Rats were divided into five groups of 8 animals: control, HGF (700 mcg/kg/dose), HGF and HGFA (10 mcg/dose), HGF and arginine, and high dose HGF (2800 mcg/kg/dose). Main clinical outcomes were pain, diarrhea and weight loss. Blinded pathologists scored the terminal ileum and distal colon. RESULTS: DSS reliably induced severe active colitis in 90% of animals (n = 36/40). There were no differences in injury scores between control and treatment animals. HGF led to 1.38 fewer days in pain (p = 0.036), while arginine led to 1.88 fewer days of diarrhea (P = 0.017) compared to controls. 88% of HGFA-treated rats started regaining weight (P < 0.001). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Although treatment was unable to reverse fulminant disease, HGF and arginine were associated with decreased days of pain and diarrhea. These clinical interventions may reduce associated symptoms for severe IBD patients, even when urgent surgical intervention remains the only viable option.

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Surgeons often care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who are receiving therapies that can include 5-ASA compounds, steroids, immunomodulators, and biologics. The goal of these agents is to suppress intestinal inflammation, ultimately improving the quality of life in patients afflicted with IBD. Traditionally, an acceptable therapeutic endpoint was the resolution of symptoms, defined as clinical remission. However, as a result of recent advances in therapy, clinicians can now strive to achieve more stringent endpoints, such as endoscopic or histologic remission. Many different classes of agents can be used, individually or in combination, to achieve mucosal healing.

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Fulminant colitis is not a well-defined entity, that constitutes a severe complication. It usually occurs in the course of úlcerative colitis and Clostridium difficile colitis. A multidisciplinary management combining gastroenterologist and surgeons is crucial with intensive medical treatment and early surgery in non-responders. It is important to distinguish if we are facing a flare of IBD or, on the contrary, it is an infectious colitis, due to the fact that although general therapeutic measures to adopt will be the same, they will demand opposed specific measures.

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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ulcerative colitis can develop during the reproductive years, and there are limited data about perinatal care for patients with ulcerative colitis. In this study, we analyzed perinatal follow-up, complications, and maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnant patients undergoing surgery for ulcerative colitis. METHODS: Between January 1998 and July 2013, female patients who underwent surgery during pregnancy for abdominal complications of ulcerative colitis and followed up during their pregnancy in our institution were included in our study. Patient characteristics, complications, operations performed, maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality during the perinatal period, and type of delivery were analyzed. RESULTS: There were nine female patients with a median (range) age of 30 (21-33) years. Indications for surgery were fulminant/refractory colitis (n = 6) and bowel obstruction (n = 3). Operations performed were subtotal colectomy with an end ileostomy (n = 3), Turnbull blowhole procedure (n = 3), adhesiolysis with small bowel resection (n = 1), detorsion and decompression of bowel (n = 1) and adhesolysis (n = 1). Median (range) postoperative length of stay was 11 (5-28) days and median (range) duration of pregnancy was 36 (32-40) weeks. There were only two patients who had a transvaginal delivery, while a cesarean section was performed in seven patients. Indications for cesarean section were as follows: physician's preference (n = 4), planned small bowel surgery with cesarean section (n = 2), and metabolic disorders (n = 1). There were no perinatal maternal or fetal deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery for ulcerative colitis complications can be performed safely if indicated during pregnancy under the care of a multidisciplinary team that includes gastroenterologists, obstetricians, and colorectal surgeons.

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In December 2012, a 32-year-old woman with no previous medical history and no previous antibiotic treatment had a fever and diarrhea 2 days after a cesarean section in which cefazolin was used as a prophylactic antimicrobial agent. She was transferred to our hospital 5 days after the cesarean for severe colitis. A rapid test of stool for Clostridium difficile toxin A and B was positive. Although oral vancomycin (0.5-2.0 g/day) and intravenous immunoglobulin (5 g/day) were administered after her transfer, 7 days after admission emergency exploratory surgery was performed because of poor response to therapy. Bowel perforation was noted and a temporary colostomy was created without colectomy. Vancomycin (2.0 g/day) was administered via the colostomy, in addition to a vancomycin enema (2.0 g/day), oral metronidazole (1500 mg/day), and oral vancomycin (2.0 g/day). Three days after the operation, linezolid (1200 mg/day IV) was added. She was treated with antibiotics against C. difficile for a total of 18 days after the operation. The same strain was not isolated from other patients in the same ward. Microbiological analysis of the isolate revealed housekeeping gene (tpi), toxin A gene (tcdA), toxin B gene (tcdB), and binary toxin gene (cdtA and cdtB). DNA sequencing of tcdC revealed a base 117 deletion and contained an 18-bp tcdC deletion. PCR ribotyping showed ribotype 027 patterns. The MIC of moxifloxacin was >32 µg/ml, indicating resistance to fluoroquinolones. This isolate was considered as the epidemic strain. Our case of fulminant colitis is apparently the first case involving the epidemic strain ribotype 027 in Japan.

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Fulminant colitis is an ill-defined entity that is usually viewed as the most severe form of uncomplicated acute colitis. It usually occurs in the course of ulcerative colitis and infectious colitis, but can also be seen in other forms of colitis. Every patient with clinical criteria for severe or fulminant colitis should be approached in a systematic way, based on two premises - intense medical treatment and early surgery in non-responders.

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AIM: To examine if fulminant Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) resulting in colectomy was associated with a prior appendectomy and whether any association affected the severity of the disease. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent colectomy for CDI between 2001 and 2011. The appendectomy rate was calculated based on the absence of an appendix on the surgical pathology report. This was compared to an established lifetime risk of appendectomy in the general population. A chart review was performed for mortality and traditional markers of CDI disease severity. Fisher's exact test was used to calculate the likelihood of association between prior appendectomy, mortality, and clinical markers of severity of infection. RESULTS: Fifty-five specimens were identified with pseudomembranous colitis consistent with CDI. All patients had a clinical history consistent with CDI and 45 of 55 (81.8%) specimens also had microbiological confirmation of CDI. Appendectomy was observed in 24 of 55 specimens (0.436, 99%CI: 0.280-0.606). This was compared to the lifetime incidence of appendectomy of 17.6%. The rate of appendectomy in our sample was significantly higher than would be expected in the general population (43.6% vs 17.6%, P < 0.01). Disease severity did not differ based on presence or absence of an appendix and no association was detected between prior appendectomy and mortality (OR = 0.588, 95%CI: 0.174-1.970). CONCLUSION: The rate of appendectomy in the patients whose CDI led to colectomy, was significantly higher than the calculated lifetime risk, suggesting an association of appendectomy and severe CDI resulting in colectomy. Larger prospective studies are needed to assess any potential causal relationships affecting fulminant CDI.

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We conducted a retrospective study of patients with fulminant amoebic colitis (FAC) over a 20 year period in an urban tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. After consideration for inclusion and exclusion criteria 25 cases were identified as FAC with the most common presentations being abdominal pain (84%). Nineteen (76%) underwent laparotomy for peritonitis with evidence of: colonic perforation in 10 (40%); faecal peritonitis in eight (32%); bowel gangrene in one (4%); and intra-abdominal abscess in two (8%). Nine (36%) deaths were recorded in the series - eight (53%) in the operated group and one (16.6%) in the medically-treated group. The optimal outcome can be achieved in FAC with aggressive resuscitation, intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics, including metronidazole, and total colectomy without anastomosis in patients with peritonitis.

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