Researchers closer to better treatment for leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea
Monday, January 11, 2016 - 14:00
in Health & Medicine
Researchers have obtained the crystal structure of a toxin from the bacterium Clostridium difficile ('C. diff') -- the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in the United States. They also found that zinc is required to unleash the toxin's damaging effects in the colon. The discoveries are aiding efforts to develop vaccines and other novel therapies to prevent the potentially fatal consequences of C. diff infection.
