A 66-year-old woman hospitalized for pneumonia received clindamycin therapy. Five days into treatment, she develops watery diarrhea, lower abdominal cramping, and fever (38.5°C). Vital signs show HR 98/min, BP 128/82 mmHg, RR 18/min. Laboratory studies reveal WBC 14,500/μL with left shift. Colonoscopy demonstrates yellow-white plaques overlying inflamed colonic mucosa. She denies recent antibiotic use prior to hospitalization. Which organism is most likely responsible for these findings?

  1. A)Bacillus cereus
  2. B)Vibrio cholerae
  3. C)Clostridioides difficileGABARITO
  4. D)Escherichia coli
  5. E)Clostridium perfringens

Explicação

Clostridioides difficile is correct. Antibiotic exposure, especially clindamycin, can disrupt normal colonic flora and allow overgrowth of C difficile, whose toxins cause pseudomembranous colitis. The yellow white plaques on colonoscopy are classic pseudomembr... Ver explicação completa e trilha adaptativa →

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