Epidemiology of C. difficile Infections in the U.S., 2011–2013

Ribotype 027 was the most prevalent strain; resistance to moxifloxacin and clindamycin was common, and reduced sensitivity to vancomycin was emerging.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) remains a common complication following antimicrobial therapy. The various C. difficile strains differ in their pathogenic profiles, with ribotype 027 known to cause especially severe and complicated infections. However, little is known about the relative frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility of C. difficile strains in the U.S. today.

To explore this issue, researchers (with support from a diagnostic test manufacturer) collected samples of toxigenic C. difficile isolates between May 2011 and April 2013 from 508 unique patients at 32 hospitals in the Northeast (n=180), South (n=84), Midwest (n=78), and West (n=166).

Ribotype 027 was the predominant strain type overall (28.1% of isolates). Its prevalen…

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Epidemiology of C. difficile Infections in the U.S., 2011–2013

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Reviewing Author