4-Cresol is predominantly produced by C. difficile, a pathogenic bacteria, that is one of the most common pathogens spread in hospitals.
What C. difficile can cause:
Toxin-producing strains of C. difficile can cause illness ranging from mild or moderate diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis, which can lead to toxic dilatation of the colon (megacolon), sepsis, and death.
4-Cresol has been used as a specific marker for Clostridium difficile.
4-Cresol, a phenolic compound, is classified as a type-B toxic agent and can cause rapid circulatory collapse and death in humans.
High amounts of 4-Cresol have been found in autism (L); the amount of 4-Cresol in the urine has been found elevated in baseline samples and in replica samples of autistic children. Higher values of 4-Cresol are found in girls with autism compared to boys with autism and higher values are associated with greater clinical severity of autistic symptoms and history of behavioral regression. 4-Cresol is apparently produced by Clostridia difficile as an antimicrobial compound that kills other species of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, allowing the Clostridia difficile to proliferate and predominate.
References:
- Urinary p-cresol in autism spectrum disorder. (L)
4-Cresol (Males Age 13 and Over)
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