Relapse of Pseudomembranous Colitis after Vancomycin Therapy

Abstract

VANCOMYCIN given by mouth is effective for the treatment of pseudomembranous colitis,^{1 2 3 4} a disease now known to be caused by an exotoxin of Clostridium difficile.^{5 6 7 8} Only one relapse of colitis after treatment with vancomycin has been reported.⁹ This report documents the relapse of colitis in three patients after discontinuation of treatment with vancomycin by mouth.Case ReportsPertinent clinical data appear in Table 1. Pseudomembranous colitis and relapse of colitis in Cases 1 and 2 were documented by sigmoidoscopy and rectal biopsy, according to established criteria.¹⁰ The initial episode of colitis in Case 3 was revealed by air-contrast barium enema, . . .