Carriage of Clostridium (C.) difficile in the intestinum of children, as well as its role in the disease (diarrhea) onset, is still controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CA-CDI) in Serbian pediatric population and to describe the basic clinical characteristics and risk factors for CA-CDI occurrence in Serbian pediatric population. The data obtained from 63 Serbian pediatric patients with CA-CDI and from control group of 126 children with community-acquired diarrhea, whose stool specimens were negative for C. difficile and toxins A/B, were mutually compared. In the current work, we found that children with CA-CDI display a significantly less severe disease clinical presentation than children with diarrheas of other origin. Lethal outcome was noted in two cases, but in children with severe underlying diseases (Crohn's disease and leukemia). By using the multivariate statistical regression model, the following statistically significant risk factors for community-acquired C. difficile-associated diarrhea development were determined: previous application of laxatives (OR = 0.199, CI 0.55-0.79, p = 0.015), general antibiotic use during the previous 2 months (OR = 0.05, CI 0.02-0.17, p < 0.001), and specifically the use of penicillins (OR = 0.112, CI 0.04-0.31, p < 0.0001) and cephalosporins (OR = 0.16, CI 40.06-0.44, p < 0.0001). Antibiotics from the groups of cephalosporins and penicillins were found to be the most important independent risk factors. Laxative application plays a significant role in the community-acquired Clostridium difficile infections in children, with mechanisms that are not completely understood.
Keywords: Children; Clostridium difficile; Community-acquired diarrhea; Diarrhea.