Frequent Diarrhea May Signal C. diff Infection, Bronx Doctor Says

Have You Heard of “C. diff”? What People Should Know About This Frequent Diarrheal Illness

By Barry S. Zingman, M.D., Clinical Director, Infectious Diseases and Professor of Medicine, Montefiore Einstein 

Bronx Voice 

May 15, 2026

BRONX, NY - A major cause of diarrhea that brings about frequent recurrences in 20 to 30 percent of cases that many people are at risk for is a contagious infection of the colon, called C. diff. Some have had this already; many others know people who have had it and are aware of how difficult the infection can be. 

In addition to diarrhea, C. diff can cause abdominal pain, fever, and other health problems. Severe cases can lead to hospitalization, serious complications, and in extreme cases, the condition can be life-threatening. Despite treatment, it can come back, sometimes multiple times for months or even years, causing distress and complications that greatly affect a person’s quality of life.

C. diff Risk-Factors and Treatment

C. diff is caused by a germ called Clostridioides difficile. Many people already have the germ in their intestines in low numbers without knowing it as they have no symptoms—these people are considered “asymptomatic.” 

When C. diff grows to higher concentrations, toxins are produced that injure the intestines and cause diarrhea and other symptoms. Not only can frequent diarrhea lead to water loss and dehydration, it also affects nutrient absorption and can cause fatigue, dizziness, and low blood pressure.

 

Risk factors, like underlying conditions or exposures, that lead to a greater likelihood of developing C. diff disease include recent antibiotic use, by mouth or intravenously, hospitalization, frequent medical visits, certain medical conditions that make someone immunocompromised, and people who are 65-years or older or premature infants.

The main treatment for C. diff is antibiotics, and sometimes people need a “stool transplant” to cure it, which is when healthy stool from a donor is given as a treatment to try to bring back normal bacteria and prevent the C. diff germ from growing.  

Awareness and Prevention 

It’s important to know the infection can spread to other people when fecal spores from contaminated surfaces, like toilets and sinks, are transferred to the mouth. The spores can live on surfaces for months and they are not killed by alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The best way to clean for C. diff is thorough soap-and-water handwashing and bleach-based cleaning for surfaces. 

In our community, we can help prevent serious complications from C. diff by sharing this information with friends and family who have certain conditions that make them at greater risk, like diabetes, which is a common condition in the Bronx. 

Currently, there’s no known way to prevent C. diff in people at-risk. To make progress on this front, people can consider participating in clinical studies to research ways to prevent or lessen the impact of this potentially serious infection. At Montefiore Einstein, we recently began researching a promising way of preventing C. diff for those with certain risk factors as part of a larger national study. Interested individuals aged 65 and over are invited to learn more by calling Montefiore at 718-920-2229. 

Frequent diarrhea or loose stool isn’t something to be embarrassed about. Talk with your doctor, who can order a test that screens for the presence of the bacteria. No one should have to suffer alone in silence.