Open AccessOutbreak of Clostridium difficile‐Associated Disease in a Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Author(s) -
Weese J.S.,
Armstrong J.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2003.tb02519.x
Subject(s) - medicine , outbreak , clostridium difficile , clostridium infections , veterinary medicine , clostridium , disease , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , intensive care medicine , antibiotics , bacteria , biology , genetics
An apparent outbreak of enteric disease occurred in dogs and cats at a veterinary teaching hospital. Clostridium difficile Toxin A or B or both were identified in 1 or more fecal samples from 48 of 93 (52%) dogs over a 5‐month period, 30 of which were identified in the 1st 26 days, after which strict infection control measures, including closure to elective cases, were implemented. Affected animals included in‐patients, out‐patients that were housed temporarily in the wards, and resident blood donor dogs. Infection control measures, including partial depopulation, isolation, hospital and yard cleaning, and barrier precautions, were instituted, after which, the incidence of nosocomial diarrhea decreased from 19 cases per 1,000 admissions to 2.5 cases per 1,000 admissions ( P <0.001)