Liz Szabo, USA TODAY 7:27 p.m. EST February 25, 2015

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Life-threatening infections caused by bacteria called Clostridium difficile now sicken nearly half a million Americans a year, health officials said Wednesday.

The number of these infections — which can cause “deadly diarrhea” and damage to the colon — doubled between 2000 and 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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