Clostridium difficile (C.diff/CDI)

Clostridium difficile Infection (C.diff or CDI) Overview:

C. difficile infection (C. diff or CDI) is the leading cause of antibioticassociated diarrhea and a highly problematic healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. CDI is also becoming increasingly important as a community pathogen. CDI infections commonly develop after (1) exposure to antibiotics and (2) new exposure and acquisition of C. diff. The prevention of C. diff transmission and infection is a top patient safety challenge. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over 14,000 people die of CDI in the United States every year, the actual number of deaths may bemuch higher. According to data fromthe Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,more than 9% of C. diff related hospitalizations end in death (a rate nearly five times higher than for other conditions). Over 30,000 fatalities among nearly 350,000 CDI hospitalizations were reported in 2010; CDIs result in additional healthcare expenditures of at least $1 billion per year. Whereas the rates of other healthcare associated infections (HAI), such as central-line associated bloodstream infections and invasive MRSA infections, have decreased, CDI rates remain at historically high levels. It is critical to prevent, identify, and treat these deadly infections.


Clostridium difficile (C.diff): Know Your Rate and Take Action to Reduce it Today

  • Institute an environmental cleaning program with ownership by department and monitor cleaning compliance rates.
  • Consider existing programs such as Clean,Trace, Glo Germ, DigiGlo to assess post discharge cleaning effectiveness.
  • Establish a pharmaceutical stewardship program which includes antibiotics and Nexium® utilization.
  • Use comprehensive evidence-based Interventions and Practice Bundles for Prevention of Clostridium difficile as well as Antimicrobial stewardship such as..Read more...

APIC Guide to Reducing Clostridium difficile Infections

Preventing C. diff transmission and infection continues to represent a serious and difficult challenge in infection prevention and patient safety. The average total cost for a single inpatient C. diff infection (CDI) is more than $35,000, and the estimated annual cost burden for the healthcare system exceeds $3 billion.1 The epidemiology of this infection is changing, and its presence in healthcare settings as well as the community has caused personnel across the entire healthcare continuum to re-evaluate approaches and perspectives. Acknowledging this, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) convened the Federal Steering Committee for the Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections. Members of the steering committee include clinicians, scientists, and public health leaders. In April 2012, the steering committee, along with scientists and program officials across HHS, released the National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections: Roadmap to Elimination, a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) action plan providing a roadmap for preventing HAIs in acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and other facilities.

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National Healthcare Safety Network Launches Hospital TAP Reports

The National Healthcare Safety Network now offers reports that can help hospitals target their infection prevention efforts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today. The Targeted Assessment for Prevention reports allow authorized users to identify facilities within a group or units within a facility with more infections than predicted based on Standardized Infection Ratio targets for catheter-associated urinary tract infection, central line-associated bloodstream infection and Clostridium difficile. "AHA is pleased that CDC is making this tool available to hospitals that are looking to make further strides in reducing infections by being able to target areas that may provide the greatest opportunity for improvement," said John Combes, M.D., AHA senior vice president and chief medical officer.

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