What type of diarrhea is characterized by foul smelling watery stools following treatment for anaerobic pneumonia?

The situation described points to diarrhea that follows treatment for anaerobic pneumonia, and the foul-smelling watery stools are indicative of a specific type of infection. The correct answer is associated with Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection, which is a common consequence of antibiotic therapy.

After antibiotics are administered, the normal gut flora can be disrupted, allowing C. diff, a spore-forming bacterium, to proliferate. This leads to symptoms such as watery diarrhea, which can be notably foul-smelling due to the toxins produced by the bacteria. Given the context—recent antibiotic treatment for anaerobic pneumonia—it is likely that the normal gut microbiome was altered, giving rise to this particular infection.

In contrast, viral gastroenteritis, norovirus infection, and cryptosporidium typically do not present specifically in conjunction with recent antibiotic use and are not characterized by the same foul smell due to bacterial toxins associated with C. diff. These other conditions often manifest with diarrhea, but the specific connection to recent antibiotic treatment, along with the distinct symptoms, supports the identification of C. diff as the underlying issue in this scenario.