Antibiotics Cause Diarrhea and Infections in Children and Adults: Study

Antibiotics prescribed by the doctors can cause serious bacterial infections and diarrhea in children, according to a new study.

The recent study found nearly 71 percent of the C.diff cases occurred in children aged below 17 who took antibiotics and nearly two-third of the adults who contacted infections during hospital stays.  

Experts interviewed parents of children suffering from the illness and nearly 73 percent of the subjects reportedly took antibiotics 12 weeks prior.

According to the data by the Centers for disease Control and Prevention( CDC), C.difficile  causes about 250, 000 infections in hospitalized patients and 14,000 deaths every year in the U.S.

Tom Frieden, director at the CDC said in a news release, "Improved antibiotic prescribing is critical to protect the health of our nation's children. When antibiotics are prescribed incorrectly, our children are needlessly put at risk for health problems including C. difficile infection and dangerous antibiotic resistant infections."

The C .diff. spores and bacteria are found in feces and survive outside human body for many hours. They spread from person to person and those who come in contact with contaminated surfaces like bed railings, medical equipment and bathroom fixtures.

CDC is planning to improve treatments and prevent the widespread attack of infections. The reports suggest that a 50 percent reduction in the prescription for antibiotics that cause C.diff infections can help save lives of 20,000 people and cut healthcare expenses by $2 millions.

Laura Hicks, Director of the CDC's Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work program adds, "Antibiotics aren't always the answer. I urge parents to work with their child's doctor to find the best treatment for the illness, which may just be providing symptom relief."

The study details are available in the journal Pediatrics.