The real reason cases of this terrible infection are on the rise

While hospitals seem to be ground zero for most deadly bacterial infections, a new study has just disclosed some horrifying information about another deadly pathogen – C. diffcile – commonly called C. diff.

The CDC study, just published in The New England Journal of Medicine, said that 150,000 people who came down with the infection in 2011 hadn’t been in a hospital at all.

But they had recently been to a doctor’s or dentist’s office.

C. diff. is very contagious, and it can be deadly. Even a mild case of it can cause acute diarrhea three or more times a day.

And a C. diff. infection is hard to treat, and even if it goes away, it can start right back up again. The bacteria can also cause a hole to form in your intestines. So this isn’t anything you want to risk getting if you can help it.

But the fact that it can be transmitted during a simple doctor or dental office visit was so shocking to the CDC that it called for another study so it can better “understand” what’s going on.

Unfortunately, the idea that C. diff. is becoming epidemic in the U.S. shouldn’t be shocking news to anyone. Especially the “experts” at the CDC.

The real cause is very likely to be our addiction to drugs that treat heartburn and acid reflux.

In January I told you about a study out of the Mayo Clinic that found all these acid blockers like Prilosec and Nexium can actually have you trading acid for a C. diff. infection.

That’s because these meds, called proton pump inhibitors, can kill off your “friendly” gut bacteria. And that leaves you wide open for some dangerous infections – like C. diff.

Now, aside from calling for that new study, the CDC’s answer to this is that we should wash our hands with soap and water after leaving a doctor or dentist’s office.

But if you want a more effective way to avoid this horrible infection, it might be a better idea to steer clear of all these PPI drugs that are advertised non-stop on television.

And that includes the OTC ones, too – like the one that Larry the Cable guy advises us to take every single morning.

Source:

“CDC investigates deadly bacteria’s link to doctors’ offices” Elizabeth Cohen, February 26, 2015, CNN, cnn.com