Characteristic c-diff odor??

mario_ragucci · Mar 10, 2003

Human sense of smell, and identifying what we can smell is of great interest to me. From the first time I heard about C-diff making a identifyable smell, i have "smelt" for it. I have not been able to identify it. Even with the PT's who are in Isolation because of it... I have not been able to zero this smell.

Chemo-receptors are varied from person to person. What i can smell, you may not be able to - right?

I have been able to detect a familiarity of stool smells with the PT's that are on TPN, or vivonex.

If you think about it, the smell of our stool is directly related to our health, and what we eat, and our individual, transit times. Some of the worst smelling stools, IMHO, come from folks who are older, on various drugs, and have a slow transit time.

I apologize if I offended anyone with trying to talk about this sensibly. Remember: I'm just a guy (grin)

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2003

Originally posted by Inge Allen
The C Diff smell has always reminded me of breast-fed babies' stool.

Yes! That's it! A sweet, kinda funky smell.

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · Mar 10, 2003

Having C-diff is pretty nasty, too...........I had surgery, abx in the hospital-then two rounds of IV Rocephin at home, for continuing incisional infection/drainage. Never thought I'd get C-diff.....but I knew what it was before I saw the doc.

CraftyLPN · Mar 10, 2003

I have just a few more questions that I am not finding the answers to.....

1.Is c-diff in the category w/ noscomial diseases?

2.As a home health nurse,even following universal precautions closely, have anything to contribute to this?

3.Can c-diff be cured?

THANKS A MILL!!!

frannybee · Mar 10, 2003

It's treated as a nosocomial infection in our trust. Kinda OT, the viral D&V that's swept through our ward and affected staff as well as pts? It's nosocomial for the pts but not for the staff - the trust won't accept that it's a work- acquired illness. I'm joining the union today.

OBNURSEHEATHER · Mar 10, 2003

LMAO! I've never had the pleasure, but I did have a doc order a C-diff on a patient last week and I almost said "I don't think it stinks enough to be that" because of everything that's been said here!

Heather

mother/babyRN, RN · Mar 10, 2003

Pretty disgusting..when I was a new nurse in a busy Boston Hospital, one after noon the two patients in my primary care room suddenly ( and I do mean suddenly) came down with explosive diarrhea..By lunchtime 3 hours later that entire side of the corridor had the same symptoms. It was like being involved in a rapidly progressing chain reaction. And yes, the odor is sickly sweet, yuckky, as with most diarrhea...

VAC · Mar 10, 2003

C-diff is thousands times more foul smelling than breast milk stools.

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · Mar 10, 2003

I was on po Flagyl for 2 or 3 weeks. Also I ate yogurt, the abx had killed off all the good bacteria in my gut. It improved rapidly, and did go away, my hb didn't get it either.

welnet66 · Mar 10, 2003

I think bloody stools make c-diff smell like roses but here it goes. I think c-diff smells like a combo of the following: tube feeding stools, road kill, rotting garbage, and burnt plastic. OK...what do you think?

Cath:eek:

NurseShell · Mar 10, 2003

(makes mental note to avoid pts with C-diff) When I read things in texts like "report amount, color and ODOR" I cringe...I have a very sensitive nose...and I HATE nasty odors...good thing I wasn't eating when I read this...yuck,

kimberle · Mar 11, 2003

I always think "rancid meat" when I smell C-diff