Clostridioides difficile – Associated Diarrhea: Infection Prevention Unknowns and Evolving Risk Reduction Strategies

AbstractPurpose of ReviewNew controversies in the diagnosis and prevention ofClostridiodes difficile are challenging and at times changing infection control practice at many medical centers.Recent FindingsMolecular epidemiologic studies are changing our understanding ofC. difficile and its spectrum of disease.C. difficile as a hospital-acquired infection is likely largely overdiagnosed given overly sensitive molecular testing and widespread colonization of ill or debilitated patients.SummaryClostridiodes difficile infection continues to challenge infection prevention programs. Shifts in our understanding of the epidemiology of this organism and its spectrum of clinical presentations are changing the approach to prevention efforts. Nevertheless, cleanliness of the healthcare environment and antimicrobial stewardship remain core risk reduction strategies. Other strategies such as screening and isolation are inciting controversy. The optimal infection prevention strategies forC. difficile remain the subject of intense study and debate.
Source: Current Infectious Disease Reports - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research