Dr. Revathi Govind

Division of Biology
rgovind@k-state.edu
Departmental Website

“Research in our lab focuses on understanding the pathogenesis of Clostridium difficile, an important pathogen associated with hospital-acquired diarrhea. Every year nearly 200,000 to 300,000 people contract C. difficile in our hospitals and their infections are on the rise among cancer patients. Alterations in the gut-flora and inflammation following chemotherapy are postulated as the main reason for C. difficile colitis in cancer patients. In patients with certain types of cancer, the chances of acquiring C. difficile infections after chemotherapy are as high as 20 percent. C. difficile infections interfere with regular cancer treatments and further deteriorate the patient’s health conditions. A better understanding of the factors contributing to C. difficile virulence will help us to find ways to manage this important nosocomial pathogen.”