Are Many Patients Diagnosed With Healthcare-associated Clostridioides difficile Infections Colonized With the Infecting Strain on Admission?

Clin Infect Dis. 2019 Oct 30;69(10):1801-1804. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciz189.

Abstract

In a cohort of 480 patients admitted to an acute care hospital, 68 (14%) had positive perirectal cultures for toxigenic Clostridioides difficile on admission. Of the 11 patients (2%) diagnosed with healthcare-associated C. difficile infections, 3 (27%) had genetically related admission and infection isolates, based on whole-genome sequencing.

Keywords: Clostridioides difficile; colonization; healthcare-associated; infection control; whole genome sequencing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carrier State / microbiology*
  • Clostridioides difficile / genetics
  • Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification*
  • Clostridium Infections / diagnosis*
  • Clostridium Infections / microbiology*
  • Cross Infection / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Admission
  • Prospective Studies
  • Rectum / microbiology
  • Risk Factors
  • Whole Genome Sequencing
  • Young Adult