| Summary: | <b> </b><i>Clostridiodes difficile</i> comprises a public-health threat that has been understudied in Colombia. Hypervirulent strains of <i>C. difficile</i> harbor multiple toxins, can be easily spread, and can have their onset of disease within healthcare facilities (HCFO) and the community (CO). Studies have shown that a disrupted microbiota (e.g., dysbiosis) may allow <i>C. difficile</i> infection (CDI). It has been suggested that dysbiosis prevents colonization by the anaerobic eukaryote <i>Blastocystis</i>, possibly due to an increase in luminal oxygen tension. No study has found co-occurrence of CDI and <i>Blastocystis</i>. Therefore, we aimed to determine the frequencies of <i>C. difficile</i> and <i>Blastocystis</i> infection/colonization in 220 diarrheal fecal samples. Molecular detection by PCR for both microorganisms was performed, with descriptive analyses of four variables (CDI detection, determination of <i>C. difficile</i> toxigenic profiles, <i>Blastocystis</i> detection, and patient site of onset). We demonstrate a significant association between the presence of <i>Blastocystis</i> and CDI, with coinfection found in 61 patients, and show a high frequency of CDI among both HCFO and CO groups. Our results of coinfection frequencies could support hypotheses that suggest <i>Blastocystis</i> can adapt to dysbiosis and oxidative stress. Further, the presence of toxigenic <i>C. difficile</i> occurring outside healthcare facilities shown here raises the alarm for community wide spread.
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