Duration of Risk for Clostridium difficile Infection After Antibiotic Use

Risk was increased 7- to 10-fold during the first month after antibiotic therapy, and nearly 3-fold for the next 2 months.

Antibiotic use is an established risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Less clear, however, are the degree and duration of CDI risk after cessation of antibiotic treatment.

To investigate this issue, researchers in the Netherlands performed a multicenter case-control study between March 2006 and May 2009. They examined antibiotic use — classes, as well as dosage and duration (expressed as “defined daily doses”) — during the preceding 3 months in 337 patients with CDI and 564 controls matched for admission period and ward (337 without diarrhea, 227 with non-CDI diarrhea).

CDI risk rose with increasing dosage and duration of antibiotics and was highest (odds ratio, 8.5; 95% confidence interval, 4.6–15.9) when ≥14 defined daily …

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection