According to recent reports, assistant pediatric professor at the Boston Children’s Hospital, Prof. Meenakshi Rao, noted that infections associated with Clostridioides difficile (C. Diff.) are difficult to eradicate. Nonetheless, once the infection is under control patients may begin the struggle of tapering off antibiotics.  

A Vicious Cycle

The long-term effect of remaining on medication leaves patients resistant to certain mainstream antibiotics. At some point the infection usually separates and the patient is once again fighting the infection. This time, however, with the added burden of having developed a resistance to certain antibiotics. 

Prof. Rao further states that these infections can cause runaway inflammation and have an impact on inflammatory bowel disease. As previously noted, infections are difficult to control. Prof. Rao indicated that often treatment with antibiotics is either insufficient or may be the cause of the problem. 

Associate professor of surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital, Prof. Min Dong, referred to a potential new approach that is described in the journal Nature explaining how to avoid the constant cycle. 

The new approach targets inflammation by controlling the bacteria rather than fighting it directly. Another approach under consideration would be instead of antibiotics, employing drugs already in use for migraine and nausea.

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Rose Duesterwald              August 14, 2026