Can You File a Lawsuit for C Diff From a Colonoscopy?

C. diff is an infectious disease caused by Clostridioides difficile, a bacterium that can multiply in the colon and release toxins that damage the intestinal lining.

The bacteria enter the body through the mouth, often as hardy spores, and infection is more likely to develop when antibiotics disrupt the normal bacteria that ordinarily keep C. diff under control.

Risk is higher after recent healthcare exposure and in people with a weakened immune system or inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis; patients receiving treatment for colon cancer may also have additional risk factors such as hospitalization, antibiotic use, or immune suppression.

C. diff is typically diagnosed when a patient has diarrhea or other compatible symptoms and a stool test detects the organism or its toxins.

Severe disease can cause extensive inflammation of the colon, dehydration, bleeding, toxic megacolon, and in rare cases perforation of the bowel.

Initial treatment commonly includes fidaxomicin or oral vancomycin, while recurrent infections may be treated with additional antibiotic therapy or a fecal microbiota transplant to restore healthy intestinal bacteria.

Common Risk Factors for C Diff Infection

C. diff can affect people without an obvious risk factor, but the incidence is substantially higher among patients with recent antibiotic exposure, healthcare contact, or underlying conditions that disrupt normal intestinal bacteria or weaken immune defenses.

Recent antibiotic use is the strongest recognized risk factor because treatment can remove protective bacteria from the colon and allow C. diff to multiply, while hospitalization and long-term care increase opportunities for exposure to persistent spores.

A patient’s health history is therefore important when evaluating a C. diff diagnosis, particularly when determining whether infection may have followed a medical procedure or another source of exposure.

Common factors that increase the risk of developing C. diff include:

• Recent antibiotic treatment: antibiotics used within the previous three months can disrupt healthy intestinal bacteria, with clindamycin, fluoroquinolones, and third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins carrying particularly high risk.
• Hospital or nursing-home exposure: C. diff spores can spread through contaminated hands, bathrooms, surfaces, and medical equipment in healthcare environments.
• Age 65 or older: older adults develop C. diff more frequently and face a higher risk of recurrent or severe infection.
• Weakened immune system: cancer treatment, immunosuppressive therapy, and serious underlying illness can reduce the body’s ability to control infection.
• Inflammatory bowel disease: conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease increase susceptibility to C. diff and can make infection more difficult to distinguish from an underlying bowel flare.
• Previous C. diff infection: recurrence is common, and the risk increases with each prior episode.
• Digestive-tract procedures or abdominal surgery: procedures involving the gastrointestinal tract are recognized among the medical factors that can increase C. diff risk, particularly when combined with hospitalization or antibiotic exposure.

C. diff can develop after a colonoscopy when a patient is exposed to Clostridioides difficile spores during healthcare contact or when bacteria already present in the intestine begin multiplying after the normal gut microbiome has been disrupted.

Reusable colonoscopes come into direct contact with stool, mucus, and other biological material during a procedure, which is why their external surfaces and internal channels must undergo careful cleaning and high-level disinfection before reuse.

If reprocessing is incomplete, contaminated material may remain inside the device.

High-level disinfection is designed to eliminate microorganisms on cleaned endoscopes, although the process is not classified as sterilization and may not destroy every bacterial spore.

A 2026 study of 100 colonoscopy procedures found culturable C. diff on 27 colonoscopes before high-level disinfection, but none of the post-disinfection cultures contained viable C. diff.

The study confirmed that colonoscopes can acquire C. diff during use, while no viable C. diff was recovered after high-level disinfection under the conditions tested.

Recent antibiotic use remains one of the strongest established causes of C. diff because antibiotics can suppress protective intestinal bacteria and allow C. diff already present in the colon to proliferate.

Hospital or nursing-home exposure, older age, a weakened immune system, previous C. diff infection, and asymptomatic colonization can also explain why an infection appears after a colonoscopy without proving that the scope was the source.

Determining whether a colonoscopy contributed to a C. diff infection requires review of the procedure, scope-reprocessing records when available, recent antibiotic use, prior healthcare exposure, and the patient’s infection history rather than relying on the timing of diagnosis alone.

Reusable colonoscopes come into contact with fecal material, mucus, blood, and tissue during a procedure, so each device must undergo a multistep reprocessing process before it can be used on another patient.

Flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes are generally classified as semicritical medical devices, which means they require thorough cleaning followed by high-level disinfection rather than routine sterilization.

Manual cleaning is especially important because organic material left inside a scope can interfere with the disinfectant used during the next stage.

The long, narrow internal channels of a colonoscope also require flushing and brushing with equipment designed for the specific scope model.

After disinfection, the channels must be completely dried because residual moisture can support microbial survival and growth during storage.

Standard colonoscope reprocessing includes:

• Immediate precleaning: staff begin removing biological material at the bedside before blood, tissue, and other debris can dry inside the scope.
• Leak testing: the scope is checked for damage that could interfere with cleaning or allow fluid to enter areas that cannot be properly reprocessed.
• Manual cleaning: the exterior, valves, connectors, and accessible internal channels are washed, flushed, and brushed with compatible detergent and model-specific cleaning tools.
• High-level disinfection: the cleaned scope is exposed to an FDA-cleared disinfectant for the required concentration, temperature, and contact time, often through an automated endoscope reprocessor.
• Rinsing and drying: disinfectant is removed and filtered air is passed through internal channels until residual moisture is eliminated.
• Protected storage: the reprocessed scope is stored in a way that promotes continued drying and prevents new contamination before its next use.

C. diff presents an additional infection-control concern because it forms durable bacterial spores, although CDC reports that infection with spore-forming bacteria has not been documented from endoscopes that were appropriately cleaned and high-level disinfected.

Reprocessing failures can occur when biological material is not completely removed, channels are damaged, disinfectant does not reach all internal surfaces, automated equipment malfunctions, or moisture remains inside the device during storage.

CDC has linked endoscope-related outbreaks to inadequate cleaning, improper disinfection, equipment failures, and design problems, which is why a post-colonoscopy infection investigation may include both the patient’s medical history and the condition and reprocessing history of the scope used during the procedure.

What Studies Have Found on Colonoscope Contamination

Studies of reusable colonoscopes have found that biological residue and viable microorganisms can remain on some devices after reprocessing, although contamination rates vary substantially by study design, sampling method, and the standards used to define an unacceptable result.

A 2015 study conducted in a large gastrointestinal endoscopy unit examined Olympus colonoscopes and gastroscopes while researchers directly observed staff following established reprocessing guidelines.

Viable microbes were recovered from 64% of post-HLD sampling encounters sampled immediately after high-level disinfection, while 9% remained culture-positive after overnight storage.

Researchers also detected protein, carbohydrate, hemoglobin, or other biological indicators above established benchmarks on many scopes even when no contamination was visible during ordinary inspection.

Additional studies have documented similar concerns in larger and more targeted populations:

• 2026 C. diff study: researchers sampled colonoscopes used in 100 procedures and recovered culturable C. difficile from 27% before high-level disinfection. No viable C. diff was recovered by culture after high-level disinfection, although C. diff DNA remained detectable on some scopes. The authors cautioned that residual DNA does not establish that living bacteria capable of transmitting infection survived reprocessing.
• 2016 patient-ready endoscope study: viable bacteria were recovered from 60% of 15 fully reprocessed gastroscopes, colonoscopes, and bronchoscopes. Three of the five colonoscopes tested had viable microbes, and investigators later identified contaminated rinse water as a possible source for one organism found on the devices. The colonoscopes used in the study included Olympus CF-HQ190L and PCF-H190L models.
• 2023 analysis of 90,311 endoscope samples: investigators reviewed microbiological surveillance data collected from 490 hospitals in France between 2004 and 2021. In 2021, 14.4% of colonoscopes reached the study’s action threshold for contamination, while 23.1% reached either the alert or action threshold, the highest combined non-compliance rate among the mucosa-contacting endoscopes evaluated.
  • Organisms recovered in large-scale surveillance: the 2023 study identified Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae such as E. coli and Klebsiella, other gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and several other microorganisms in contaminated endoscope channels. These findings measured microbial contamination, not confirmed transmission of infection to patients.

The available research supports a documented problem with residual contamination on some reusable colonoscopes while drawing an important distinction between a contaminated device and a proven device-transmitted infection.

The C. diff-specific evidence is narrower: colonoscopes clearly acquire C. diff during patient use, but the 2026 study found no viable C. diff after high-level disinfection under the conditions tested.

A post-colonoscopy C. diff claim therefore requires patient-specific evidence showing whether reprocessing problems, device condition, healthcare exposure, antibiotic use, or another source may have contributed to the infection.

Olympus has manufactured gastrointestinal endoscopes for decades, including reusable video colonoscopes used to examine the colon, identify abnormal tissue, take biopsies, and remove polyps during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Models such as the CF-HQ190L/I and PCF-series colonoscopes contain imaging systems and working channels that allow physicians to pass instruments through the scope while it moves through the colon.

Because these devices contact fecal material, mucus, blood, and intestinal tissue, their internal channels must be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, dried, and stored before another procedure.

Infection concerns involving Olympus colonoscopes have included failures in reprocessing, drying, repair, and device condition that could allow contaminated material or moisture to remain inside the scope.

In 2023, Olympus recalled numerous PCF-series colonoscope models after discovering that its post-repair channel-drying process had not been validated and that some scopes were returned to customers with wet channels, which FDA said could permit contamination and lead to infection.

FDA records from another 2023 Olympus recall involving certain PCF-H190L colonovideoscopes state that an improper repair could affect the ability to effectively reprocess the device and expose patients to contaminated material and subsequent infection.

Olympus colonoscope infection claims now require close examination of the specific model used, its repair and reprocessing history, and whether contamination inside the device could have contributed to the patient’s post-procedure infection.

Olympus Colonoscope Recalls and FDA Reports

FDA records document Olympus colonoscope recalls involving reprocessing, repair, and contamination concerns, along with adverse-event reports describing infections after procedures using Olympus equipment.

Several actions focused on internal channels and repaired components that could interfere with effective cleaning or leave moisture inside the device, creating conditions where microbial contamination may persist.

FDA’s MAUDE reports also contain patient infection events involving Olympus colonoscopes, although individual reports do not establish that a particular device caused an infection.

Notable recalls and FDA reports include:

• September 2023, Olympus PCF-series colonoscope recall: Olympus recalled 15 PCF colonoscope models after discovering that the channel air-drying process used at its repair facilities had not been validated. FDA stated that some scopes were returned with wet internal channels and that retained water could permit contamination and create a risk of infection; the action covered 3,101 devices distributed worldwide.
• October 2023, PCF-H190L and PCF-H190DL recall: Olympus removed specific repaired EVIS EXERA III colonovideoscopes after discovering missing adhesive at the suction-channel mouthpiece. FDA said the repair defect could interfere with effective reprocessing and expose patients to contaminated material and subsequent infection.
• 2009 C. diff cluster reported to FDA: an Olympus CF-Q160L was involved in an event covering nine patients with Clostridioides difficile after endoscopic procedures, including eight colonoscopies. Laboratory testing later found Clostridium perfringens and Enterococcus faecalis in the scope, while Olympus identified reprocessing and storage deficiencies at the facility; the cause of the C. diff cluster was not conclusively determined.
• 2018 CRE infection reports: FDA received reports describing patients who tested positive for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae after procedures involving Olympus colonovideoscopes. Investigation identified alternative exposure through a nearby rehabilitation or nursing facility, and cultures of the implicated colonoscope did not establish the scope as the infection source.

Olympus Colonoscopy C Diff Lawsuit

A federal product liability lawsuit filed in July 2026 alleges that an Olympus CF-HQ190L colonoscope caused a serious C. diff infection following a colonoscopy performed in 2024.

The complaint states that the patient developed severe gastrointestinal symptoms approximately 26 days after the procedure and was later hospitalized for 10 days with a Clostridioides difficile diagnosis.

The lawsuit alleges that the reusable colonoscope was defectively designed and manufactured and that Olympus failed to provide adequate warnings about contamination and infection risks.

It also claims that biological material can remain inside narrow internal channels after reprocessing, allowing bacteria to persist and potentially reach another patient during a later procedure.

The case is proceeding in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and remains an individual product liability action rather than part of a consolidated MDL.

The allegations have not been adjudicated, and the filing does not establish that Olympus colonoscopes generally transmit C. diff or that every infection diagnosed after colonoscopy was caused by a contaminated scope.

You may qualify to file a C. diff colonoscopy lawsuit if you underwent a colonoscopy or endoscopic procedure involving an Olympus scope in 2015 or later and were hospitalized with a serious infection within 30 days.

TorHoerman Law is reviewing cases involving C. diff, sepsis, and other severe infections that developed shortly after a qualifying scope procedure.

Medical records must support the procedure date, infection diagnosis, hospitalization, and timing between the colonoscopy and onset of illness. Recent antibiotic use, prior C. diff infection, or other healthcare exposures must also be reviewed because each can provide an alternative explanation for the infection.

Claims may be more difficult to establish when the patient underwent dialysis, chemotherapy, surgery, implantation procedures, ureteroscopy, cystoscopy, or another significant medical procedure in the 30 days before the colonoscopy.

Families may also qualify to pursue a wrongful death claim when a loved one died from infection-related complications after a qualifying procedure.

Evidence in C Diff Colonoscopy Claims

C. diff colonoscopy claims depend on medical and device records that connect the procedure to the infection while accounting for other possible sources of exposure.

Attorneys review the timing of the colonoscopy, laboratory-confirmed diagnosis, hospitalization, recent antibiotic use, and the patient’s medical history to assess whether a contaminated scope may have contributed to the infection.

Relevant evidence may include:

• Colonoscopy and procedure records showing when and where the procedure was performed
• Device identification records documenting the manufacturer, model, and serial number of the colonoscope used
• C. diff laboratory results confirming the diagnosis through stool testing or toxin testing
• Hospital and emergency room records documenting the severity of the infection and treatment provided
• Medical records establishing symptom onset and the interval between the colonoscopy and infection
• Antibiotic history showing whether the patient received antibiotics before or after the procedure
• Prior healthcare records identifying recent hospitalizations, surgeries, infections, or other potential exposure sources
• Facility reprocessing records documenting how the colonoscope was cleaned, disinfected, dried, and stored
• Scope maintenance and repair records showing prior damage, repairs, recalls, or reprocessing concerns involving the device
• Infection-control reports or patient notifications issued by the hospital or endoscopy center after the procedure

Potential Compensation in a C Diff Colonoscopy Lawsuit

Damages are the financial and non-financial losses a patient may recover when a contaminated medical device is shown to have caused a serious infection.

Our attorneys evaluate medical records, treatment costs, lost income, long-term health effects, and the severity of the C. diff infection when calculating the value of a claim.

Compensation may also account for recurrent infection, extended hospitalization, permanent complications, and the effect of the illness on a patient’s daily life.

Recoverable damages depend on the facts of the case, the available evidence, and the law governing the claim.

Potential damages in a C. diff colonoscopy lawsuit may include:

• Medical expenses: emergency care, hospitalization, diagnostic testing, medications, specialist treatment, and follow-up appointments
• Future medical costs: anticipated treatment for recurrent C. diff, gastrointestinal complications, or other lasting health problems
• Lost wages: income lost during hospitalization, recovery, or repeated treatment
• Reduced earning capacity: loss of future income when lasting complications interfere with a patient’s ability to work
• Pain and suffering: physical pain, discomfort, and disruption caused by the infection and treatment
• Emotional distress: psychological effects associated with severe illness, hospitalization, or recurrent infection
• Permanent impairment: lasting bowel problems, organ damage, or other complications caused by severe infection
• Wrongful death damages: losses available to qualifying family members when C. diff or related complications result in death

C. diff colonoscopy claims require a careful review of the procedure, infection timeline, device records, reprocessing history, and other possible sources of exposure.

Our attorneys are investigating cases involving patients who developed serious C. diff infections after procedures performed with Olympus scopes and were later hospitalized or required significant treatment.

We review medical records, laboratory results, antibiotic history, and available device evidence to determine whether a contaminated colonoscope may have contributed to the infection.

If you or a family member developed C. diff after a colonoscopy, contact TorHoerman Law for a no-obligation case evaluation and to discuss whether you may be eligible to pursue compensation.