C. Diff Hospital Infections Spread to Other Health Care Venues: Report

Federal health experts indicate that Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections in hospitals are on the rise and spreading to other health care facilities. 

A report released this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights the spread of C. diff, which is bucking a downward trend among other forms of hospital-acquired infections.

C. diff infections are at historically high levels, the CDC reports, killing 14,000 Americans each year. The CDC blames much of the spread of C. diff on the use of antibiotics, which destroy germs that would usually help the body fight off a C. diff infection.

About half of all patients diagnosed with C. diff had it when they entered a health care facility, the CDC estimates, and as they move from one health care facility to another, like from a hospital to a nursing home, they end up spreading the infection to new venues.

The increase is also linked to a stronger strain of the bug, which has resulted in a 400% increase in C. diff deaths between 2000 and 2007. While almost half of all infections occur among people under the age of 65, 90% of the deaths occur in those 65 and older. The CDC estimates that about 75% of those with C. diff infections acquire them in a nursing home or doctor’s offices and clinics. About 25% first acquire the bug from hospitals.

The CDC notes that much of the antibiotic use is unnecessary, and reducing unnecessary antibiotic use could cut down on infections. The agency also says that health care providers are not always told that a patient transferred to their care has a C. diff infection and thus do not take the proper precautions.

C. diff infections can be prevented with infection prevention and control measures such as testing, isolating C. diff patients, wearing gloves and gowns when treating infected patients and disinfecting areas where infected patients have been.