Open AccessCauses, Burden, and Prevention of Clostridium difficile Infection
Author(s) -
Carolyn Gould,
Thomas M. File,
L. Clifford McDonald
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
infectious diseases in clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.145
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1536-9943
pISSN - 1056-9103
DOI - 10.1097/ipc.0000000000000331
Subject(s) - medicine , clostridium difficile , diarrhea , epidemiology , intensive care medicine , disease , health care , c difficile , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , economics , biology , economic growth
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a potentially deadly cause of diarrhea that is virtually always connected to healthcare system exposures, both inpatient and outpatient. Once a disease mainly of hospitals, 75% of CDI cases are now diagnosed outside of hospitals. However, the diagnosis location may not reflect where C. difficile spores were acquired or antibiotic exposure occurred. Changing epidemiology and increasing awareness about the role of every segment of the healthcare system in mediating this disease makes it clear that reducing its burden will also require active participation from all US healthcare professionals.