In evaluating the protection afforded by immunization with our nanoparticle vaccine, we observed that immunization with nanoparticle vaccine prior to C. difficile infection diminished symptoms of CDI as demonstrated by lower body and cecal weight loss, longer colon, lack of diarrhea, a general healthier cecum and colon morphology, and decrease in the level of colonic and GAL inflammatory cytokine and chemokine when compared to mice immunized with PBS or empty nanoparticles. The gene discussed is GAL; the disease is clostridium difficile infection.