Lawrence R. Schiller, MD

For some time, diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile has been a serious problem in hospitals. Recently, more virulent strains of this pathogen have started to show up in hospitals.

Chronic diarrhea presents difficulties for clinicians as well as for patients. Because the differential diagnosis is enormous, management can be challenging. In this article, we present a strategy for quickly narrowing the differential based on a simple analysis of stool characteristics. We then describe an appropriate workup for each of the basic types of diarrhea.