There were an estimated 453,000 Clostridium difficile infections in the U.S. in 2011, according to a recently published article in Infectious Diseases In Clinical Practice, a journal published by Wolters Kluwer.
Previous antibiotic treatment is one of the main risk factors for C. diff infections, so it follows that the CDC has identified careful prescribing and use of antibiotics as one of their six main ways to prevent C. diff infections.
The other five are:
- Early and reliable diagnosis
- Immediate isolation of infected patients
- Contact precautions
- Adequate cleaning of the patient care environment using EPA-registered C. diff sporicidal disinfectant
- Effective communication about a patient's C. diff infection when transferring patients
"The current epidemiology of CDI necessitates active participation from all segments of the healthcare community in a comprehensive approach to reduce the burden of CDI through effective antibiotic stewardship and active measures to reduce spore transmission," the article concludes.