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Cdiff Factsheet P

Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) is a bacterium that causes diarrhea and colitis, leading to nearly half a million illnesses and approximately 29,300 deaths annually in the U.S. Risk factors include antibiotic use and extended stays in healthcare settings, with a significant mortality rate among those aged 65 and older. Prevention measures include proper antibiotic prescribing, accurate testing, patient isolation, and thorough cleaning of contaminated surfaces.

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84 views1 page

Cdiff Factsheet P

Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) is a bacterium that causes diarrhea and colitis, leading to nearly half a million illnesses and approximately 29,300 deaths annually in the U.S. Risk factors include antibiotic use and extended stays in healthcare settings, with a significant mortality rate among those aged 65 and older. Prevention measures include proper antibiotic prescribing, accurate testing, patient isolation, and thorough cleaning of contaminated surfaces.

Uploaded by

prakriti chettri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

CLOSTRIDIOIDES Clostridioides difficile (also known as C.

diff ) is a
bacterium that causes diarrhea and colitis (an
DIFFICILE inflammation of the colon). C. diff infection can
(formerly known as Clostridium difficile) be life-threatening.

IMPACT

C. diff infection is estimated to cause almost About 1 in 6 patients who get C. diff One in 11 people over 65 diagnosed with a
half a million illnesses in the United States infection will get it again in the subsequent healthcare-associated C. diff infection die
each year, and an estimated 29,300 deaths.1 2–8 weeks.1 within a month.2

RISK

People are 7 to 10 times more likely to get Extended stays in healthcare settings, such More than 80% of C. diff deaths occur.
C. diff infection while taking an antibiotic as hospitals and nursing homes, also increase in people 65 and older.
and during the month after.3 their risk. 65 AND OLDER

SPREAD

C. diff spreads when people touch surfaces Or when people don’t wash their It can also happen when one healthcare
that are contaminated with poop from an hands with soap and water. facility fails to notify another when it
infected person. transfers a patient with C. diff.

Healthcare professionals can help PREVENT C. diff by:

STOP

Optimizing the Using the tests Rapidly identifing Wearing gloves and gowns Cleaning surfaces in rooms where
way they prescribe that give the most and isolating patients when treating patients with C. diff patients are treated with
antibiotics. accurate results. with C. diff. C. diff—and remembering that EPA-approved, spore-killing
hand sanitizer doesn’t kill C. diff. disinfectant (see list K).

cdc.gov/cdiff
1
Guh AY, Mu Y, Winston LG et al. N Engl J Med 2020;382:1320–30. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1910215
2
Lessa FC, Mu Yi, Bamberg WM et al. N Engl J Med 2015;372:825–34. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1408913
3
Hensgens MPM, Goorhuis A, Dekkers OM, Kuijper EJ. J Antimicrob Chemother 2011. DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkr508
CS316107-A

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