In-Hospital Clostridioides difficile Transmission: All Too Common?

A rigorous study of samples from patients' rooms and healthcare personnel's hands at two Utah hospitals quantified nosocomial cross-transmission of C. difficile.

Studies attempting to confirm the intuitive belief that Clostridioides difficile is readily spread within a given hospital have been unable to link new cases to other known cases. Given the multiple routes of cross-transmission within the healthcare environment, investigators analyzed C. difficile spread involving two intensive care units in Utah hospitals; samples were collected from patients in the ICU, the hands or gloves of health care personnel (HCP) after exiting patients' rooms (but before performing hand hygiene), and multiple sites in the rooms. Toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains were identified with whole-genome sequencing.

Some 7000 samples were collected during 278 ICU admissions involving 177 patients. C. difficile was isolated …

Reviewing Author

Richard T. Ellison III, MD

Disclosures

Consult/Advisory BoardAcurx Pharmaceuticals, LLC;

Grant/Research SupportDoctors Company Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Richard T. Ellison III, MD

Disclosures

Consult/Advisory BoardAcurx Pharmaceuticals, LLC;

Grant/Research SupportDoctors Company Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

In-Hospital Clostridioides difficile Transmission: All Too Common?

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Reviewing Author