PREVENTION OF HEALTH CARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS IN U.S. HEALTH SYSTEMS: HARNESSING THE GUT MICROBIOME TO COMBAT INFECTION.

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) remain a major challenge in the U.S. health care system, with <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> (<i>C. difficile</i> or <i>C. diff</i>) being the most prevalent. The use of antibiotics disrupts the gut microbiota, predisposing individuals to infection. Recent research has highlighted the role of the gut microbiome in preventing and treating <i>C. difficile</i> infections (CDI). Strategies such as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) offer promising alternatives to conventional antibiotic treatments. This paper explores the mechanisms underlying CDI, the role of the gut microbiome in infection prevention, and innovative therapeutic approaches.