New Study Links Opioid Use to Higher Risk of Dangerous C. diff Infections
A new analysis suggests that taking opioid medications may significantly increase a patient’s risk of developing a serious intestinal infection known as Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff. This infection, which primarily affects the colon, spreads easily—especially in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings. It can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, and in the most severe cases, it can lead to life-threatening complications.
C. diff remains a major public health issue, infecting an estimated 500,000 Americans each year.
Researchers at the University of Georgia analyzed data from nearly 120,000 patients across four different studies. They discovered that 31% of people using opioids developed C. diff, compared with 17% of people who weren’t taking opioids.
“There is mixed evidence on the association between these medications and C. diff,” said study co-author Lorenzo Villa-Zapata, assistant professor of pharmacy. “Our goal is to provide solid evidence that helps clinicians weigh both the benefits and the risks when prescribing these medications.”
Opioids are widely used to manage pain—from acute injuries to post-surgical recovery. However, earlier research has shown that opioids can weaken the immune system and disrupt the gut microbiome. This imbalance may make the digestive tract more vulnerable to harmful bacteria like C. diff.
“Opioids alter the gut microbiome in a way that makes it easier for C. diff to thrive,” explained lead researcher Pooja Gokhale, a doctoral candidate in pharmacy. “And because opioids can suppress the immune system, patients become more prone to infections overall. C. diff is particularly aggressive and highly contagious.”
Even with these findings, the researchers emphasized that opioids can still be appropriate in certain situations.
“It really depends on the individual patient,” Gokhale said. “A young, generally healthy patient may face a lower risk, but hospitalized or immunocompromised individuals already have elevated vulnerability.”
The study was recently published in the American Journal of Infection Control.
As communities continue battling the harms linked to synthetic drugs such as FYL and XYL, this research adds another important layer: understanding how opioid prescribing decisions may influence infection risks—and why tools like Naloxone remain essential in the broader public health response.
Source: American Journal of Infection Control