Which statement about C-Diff spores is true?

Which statement about C-Diff spores is true?

• A. It has spores in the bacteria and is highly contagious
• B. It lacks spores and is not contagious
• C. It is a viral agent
• D. It is only spread through blood contact

Answer: (A)

C. difficile is a spore-forming bacterium, and those spores are highly contagious because they can persist on surfaces for long periods and resist many common cleaners. The spores allow the organism to spread in environments like hospitals, especially when normal gut flora are disrupted by antibiotics, which helps the bacteria germinate and cause infection after ingestion of the spores. It is not a viral agent, and spread is not primarily through blood contact but via the fecal-oral route from contaminated hands, surfaces, or objects. So saying that it has spores and is highly contagious accurately reflects how this organism behaves and why it poses a transmission risk.

C. difficile is a spore-forming bacterium, and those spores are highly contagious because they can persist on surfaces for long periods and resist many common cleaners. The spores allow the organism to spread in environments like hospitals, especially when normal gut flora are disrupted by antibiotics, which helps the bacteria germinate and cause infection after ingestion of the spores. It is not a viral agent, and spread is not primarily through blood contact but via the fecal-oral route from contaminated hands, surfaces, or objects. So saying that it has spores and is highly contagious accurately reflects how this organism behaves and why it poses a transmission risk.