Clostridium difficile: A Healthcare & Community Acquired Infection

The infection control and environmental experts at Sussex Environmental Health Consultants help prevent deadly infections.

Lewes, DE, June 27th, 2011 -- Clostridium difficile, also known as C. diff, CDI and C. difficile, is a bacterium that may develop due to the prolonged use of antibiotics during healthcare treatment. C. diff infections cause diarrhea and more serious intestinal conditions such as colitis.  It is a major culprit for healthcare associated infections (HAIs) and has been increasingly identified as a community acquired infection.

C. diff is a spore-forming, gram-positive anaerobic bacillus that produces two exotoxins: toxin A and toxin B. It is a common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and accounts for 15-25% of all episodes of AAD.

Diseases that can result from C. diff infections include:

• pseudomembranous colitis (PMC)

• toxic megacolon

• perforations of the colon

• sepsis

• death

Antibiotic treatment of C. diff infections can be difficult, due both to antibiotic resistance as well as physiological factors of the bacteria itself.  These include spore formation and the protective effects of its pseudomembrane.

C. diff is shed in feces. Any surface, device, or material that becomes contaminated with feces may serve as a reservoir for the bacteria’s spores.  These spores can be transferred to patients in hospitals via the hands of healthcare personnel who have touched a contaminated surface or item or by the patients coming in contact with contaminated surfaces.

“Appropriate personal hygiene, and adequate cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces and reusable devices can help prevent the spread of C. diff,” reported Susan White, Ph.D., CMC, President of Sussex Environmental Health Consultants (SEHC), a leading Mid-Atlantic indoor air quality (IAQ) and infection control consulting firm.      “Environmental testing can also help identify when microbial contaminants, such as C. diff, are in healthcare, community or indoor environments to help stop the spread of this and other dangerous pathogens to prevent outbreaks.”

SEHC recently cosponsored a public outreach video on C. diff that can be seen at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsdMxDmzOMM

To learn more about preventing infectious microbial pathogens, or other environmental and IAQ issues, please visit http://www.sussexenvironmental.com/, email susan.white@mchsi.com or call (302) 947-1810.

About Sussex Environmental Health Consultants, LLC

SEHC is a certified woman owned business that provides environmental and health and safety consulting services.  The company is located in the Mid-Atlantic and services customers nationwide.  SEHC provides solutions to clients ranging from homeowners to international Fortune 500 corporations.

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