Saturday, March 28, 2015

Who is at risk?

Before I begin to bore with you with numbers and facts, here is an image from the CDC discussing some key facts about the spread of C. diff.


According to the CDC the populations at greatest risk for acquiring C. diff are patients with:

  • antibiotic exposure
  • proton pump inhibitors (usually used for patients with GERD --gastroesophageal reflux disorder) -- this reduces the acidity of the stomach, which is essential for destroying pathogenic bacteria, such as certain strains of  C. diff. 
  • gastrointestinal surgery or manipulation
  • long length of stay in a healthcare setting (including nursing homes)
  • a serious underlying illness
  • immunocompromising conditions (eg: transplant patients, HIV patients)
  • advanced age (65+)
Based in a 2008 study also published by the CDC the following impact of C. diff was determined: 
  • Hospital acquired, hospital onset of C diff: 165,000 cases were reported resulting in $1.3 billion in excess costs and ultimately leading to 9.000 deaths annually 
  • Hospital acquire post discharge (up to 4 weeks): 500,000 cases were reported resulting in $0.3 billion in excess costs and leading to 3,000 deaths annually
  • Nursing home onset: 263,000 reported cases, $2.2 billion in excess costs and 16,500 deaths annually 
These numbers are astounding! Patients and health care providers need to pay better attention to preventing episodes of C. diff as treatment is difficult. While old age and serious illnesses are not always risk factors that can be altered, limiting antibiotic exposure and preventing C. diff exposure can great reduce transmission! 

Don't forget folks, ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS! 

References 
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Clostridium difficile infection. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/organisms/cdiff/Cdiff_infect.html. 

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