Fig. 1
From: Asymptomatic Clostridium difficile colonization: epidemiology and clinical implications
Diagrammatic representation of asymptomatic C. difficile colonization and progression to symptomatic C. difficile infection (CDI). Following exposure to C. difficile spores, an individual may transiently or persistently harbor the organism without expressing typical CDI symptoms. In other situations ingestion of C. difficile spores or vegetative cells may lead directly to symptomatic CDI. Some individuals with asymptomatic C. difficile colonization may progress to symptomatic CDI, however a number of host and pathogen related factors can limit the progression of the disease