A Deadly Germ Unleashed by Antibiotics
For years, health officials have sounded the alarm about overuse of antibiotics and the emergence of so-called “superbugs” that resist treatment. But the spread of a deadly germ linked with antibiotic use shows just how immediate the threat really is.
The culprit is Clostridium difficile, a bacteria that can cause life-threatening infection, diarrhea and stomach pain. What is so frightening about C. difficile is that it is typically triggered by a round of antibiotic use. In addition to killing the targeted infections, antibiotics wipe out beneficial bacteria, which can make a body more vulnerable to C. difficile infection.