Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control published the following stories on Clostridium difficile infections since May 2017.
The findings are listed below, starting with the most recent.
1. How machine learning models are rapidly predicting C. diff infections
Researchers are developing hospital-specific machine learning models that predict patients' risk of C. diff infections much sooner than current diagnostic methods allow.
2. Metabolite therapy effective against C. diff in mice
An experimental drug, which increased levels of four protective metabolites, proved effective at treating C. diff-infected mice.
3. 4 predictors of treatment failure for C. diff patients taking metronidazole
Researchers identified the following predictors of treatment failure for C. diff patients taking metronidazole: underlying dialysis, fever of greater than 38.3 degrees Celsius, low median serum albumin levels and concurrent use of antibiotics.
4. Researchers assess most cost-effective C. diff treatments — see how they stack up
Researchers found fidaxomicin, a newer treatment for C. diff, is often the most cost-effective treatment.
5. Transferring patients between hospitals may up C. diff risk
Researchers found a correlation between interhospital patient transfers and an increased risk of C. diff infections.
6. Black recurrent C. diff patients less likely to receive FMT than white patients & 5 more study findings
A study found black patients with recurrent C. diff were less likely to receive fecal microbiota transplantation than white patients. Patients who received FMT were also less likely to have comorbidities.
7. C. diff transmission among children uncommon, study shows
Of 84 C. diff infections occurring in children at a single academic medical center in one year, only 11.9 percent were caused by a strain linked to another child's infection.
8. VA sees 36% drop in C. diff infections at long-term care facilities over 2 years
An initiative to lower C. diff infection rates at Veterans Affairs long-term care facilities coincided with a 36.1 percent decrease in infections over a two-year period.
9. Sugar additive linked to rise of more virulent C. diff
The introduction of trehalose — a naturally occurring glucose — as a sugar additive into the human diet likely contributed to the rise of virulent strains of C. diff in North America and Europe.
10. How C. diff affects cost for pediatric hospitalizations
A study found the attributable cost of C. diff occurring during a hospitalization ranged from $1,917 to $8,317, depending on length of stay. When not adjusting for LOS, C. diff-associated hospitalizations cost 1.6 times more than non-C. diff-associated hospitalizations.
11. C. diff most frequently found in floor corners after disinfection
C. diff often persists in the floor corners of hospital rooms despite cleaning and hydrogen peroxide aerial decontamination, researchers found.
12. Antibiotic stewardship reduces C. diff incidence by 32%
A study found antibiotic stewardship programs reduced the incidence of infections and colonization of C. diff infections by 32 percent.
13. Antibiotics important risk factor for community-associated C. diff in adults, study shows
Researchers identified the following items as risk factors for community-associated C. diff infection in adults: antibiotic exposure, recent emergency department visit, white race, cardiac disease, chronic kidney disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
14. Outpatient antibiotic use linked to C. diff infections
Antibiotic use in the outpatient setting is a significant risk factor for contracting C. diff outside of a healthcare environment.
15. UCSF researchers mine EHRs to track 435k patient movements, pinpoint source of C. diff
A team of UC San Francisco health informatics researchers analyzed EHR data from a three-year period to identify a single CT scanner as a significant source of C. diff.
16. Statins reduce risk of C. diff development
A team of researchers found a significant association between use of statins and a reduction in C. diff infection risk.
17. These 5 factors increase community-associated C. diff risk in kids
Researchers identified the following items as risk factors for community-associated C. diff infection in children: an underlying chronic medical condition, a neonatal intensive care unit stay at time of birth, recent antibiotic exposure, higher-risk outpatient healthcare exposures and a household member with diarrhea.
18. Dentist-prescribed antibiotics linked to rising C. diff rates
Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing practices among dentists may be contributing to rising rates of C. diff infections.
19. Sepsis initiatives may hinder antibiotic stewardship, boost C. diff rates
Researchers believe sepsis screening and treatment protocols in healthcare settings may inadvertently cause increased antibiotic use and C. diff infection rates.
20. Can boosting patient hand hygiene impact C. diff infection rates?
A study found C. diff infection ratios decreased significantly for 6 months after the implementation of a hand hygiene intervention for patients in the hospital setting.
21. Antibiotic use, chronic liver disease linked to C. diff recurrence
A study found previous antibiotic exposure and chronic liver disease are risk factors for recurrence of C. diff infection.
22. Structured vs. unstructured hand-washing techniques — Which is more effective for removing C. diff?
Researchers examined the efficacy of the structured World Health Organization-recommended hand-washing technique to remove C. diff from hands. They found washing hands with a structured technique was more effective than washing with an unstructured technique. Additionally, the WHO-SR technique was significantly more effective than the unstructured technique.
23. Calcium plays key role in C. diff spore germination, new research shows
A study found C. diff, which forms hard-shelled spores to survive, needs excess calcium to germinate or break its dormancy when it reaches the gut.
24. Researchers identify C. diff in unlikely place — sandboxes
While C. diff bacteria are commonly found in healthcare settings, a study found sandboxes in recreational settings can harbor multiple C. diff bacteria strains, including those capable of sickening humans.
25. Multiple recurring C. diff infections jump 189% from 2001 to 2012, study shows
The incidence of multiple recurring C. diff infections in the U.S increased 189 percent during an 11-year period, whereas the incidence of C. diff infections rose by about 43 percent.
26. CDC: C. diff rates decline thanks to stewardship, thorough cleaning
Early CDC assessments of 2011-14 data suggested C. diff infections are on the decline.
27. Ridinilazole vs. vancomycin for C. diff treatment — 4 study insights
Researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of ridinilazole and vancomycin for treating C. diff infections. More C. diff patients showed a sustained clinical response to ridinilazole than vancomycin. However, ridinilazole was as well-tolerated as vancomycin.
28. Antibiotic stewardship highly effective in reducing drug-resistant bacteria, C. diff infections
Researchers found a strong association between antibiotic stewardship programs and lowered rates of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and C. diff infections among hospital inpatients.
29. Microbes from FMT donors persist for up to 2 years in patients, treating recurrent C. diff
Fecal donor microbes remain in recipients for months or years after transplantation and help treat recurrent C. diff infections.
30. C. diff infections more common in acute than long-term care settings; antibiotic use to blame
Researchers found C. diff infection incidence in the acute care setting was five times the incidence observed in the long-term care setting. Antibiotic use was also higher in the acute care setting compared to the long-term care setting.
31. Which disinfectants work best against C. diff?
Researchers compared the efficacy of four different products on killing C. diff. They found wipes performed better than sprays with the same active ingredients, and wipes with hydrogen peroxide "showed the highest bactericidal activity," the study concluded.
32. Occupying C. diff-contaminated hospital areas significantly increases infection risk
When a patient is in a hospital area previously occupied by someone with a C. diff infection, that patient is much more likely to develop an infection. Exposure to C. diff in the emergency department was significantly associated with the development of the infection within the next 60 days.