A New Player in C. Diff Treatment

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new medication to prevent repeat Clostridium difficile infections.

This new medication is Zinplava (bezlotoxumab). It's approved for those who are receiving treatment for a Clostridium difficile infection and who are at high risk for having another one. This medication is approved for patients who are 18 years old and older.

Clostridium difficile is a bacterium that causes mild to severe diarrhea, inflammation of the colon (colitis), fever, stomach pain and nausea.

The elderly and those who are receiving antibiotics for a long period of time are at a higher risk of acquiring this particular infection.

Bezlotoxumab is not an antibiotic and therefore is not approved to treat the infection. Instead, this medication belongs to a group of medications called monoclonal antibodies.

This medication is available as an injection to be administered by a health care professional.

Common side effects include nausea, fever and headache.

Merck manufactures Zinplava. The medication will be available in the first quarter of 2017.