Among hospitalized patients around the world, Clostridium difficile is the primary source of infectious diarrhea. Previously, continuously unbalanced intestinal microbiota, usually due to antimicrobials, was deemed a precondition of developing the infection. However, recently, there have been alterations in the biology from virtually infecting the elderly population exclusively, wherein the microbiota in their guts have been interrupted by antimicrobials, to currently infecting individuals within of all age groups displaying no recent antimicrobial use. Furthermore, recent reports have confirmed critical occurrences among groups previously assumed to be of minimal risk—pregnant women, children, and individuals with no previous exposure to antimicrobials, for instance. Unfortunately, this Gram-positive, toxin-producing anaerobic bacterium is estimated to cost US critical care facilities $800 million per year at present, suggesting the need for effective measures to eliminate this nosocomial infection (Yakob, Riley, Paterson, & Clements, 2013).
C. difficile infection (CDI) is a dangerous healthcare-associated infection as well as a growing burden, especially with the appearance of more potent strains in the early 2000s. Clostridium difficile was initially identified as possessing the ability to initiate pseudomembranous colitis in the late 1970s. Asymptomatic colonization in healthy adults has been detected in only 3% of individuals, whereas the pervasiveness of such colonization among patients in long-term-care facilities is approximately 50%. People colonized with C. difficile act as a reservoir of contamination by infecting the environment with C. difficile spores, consequently leading to an increase of the pathogen on the hand...
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...idemiology, 1137-1139. Retrieved from Clorox Professional: http://www.cloroxprofessional.com/
Pai, S., Aliyu, S. H., Enoch, D. A., & Karas, J. A. (2012). Five Years Experience of Clostridium difficile Infection in Children at UK Tertiary Hospital: Proposed Criteria for Diagnosis and Management. PLoS ONE, 1-6.
Tamma, P. D., & Sandora, T. J. (2012). Clostridium difficile in children: current state and unaswered questions. Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases , 230-243.
Yakob, L., Riley, T. V., Paterson, D. L., & Clements, A. (2013). Clostridium difficile exposure as an insidious source of infection in healthcare settings: an epidemiological model. BMC Infectious Diseases, 376.
Zilberberg, M. D., Tillotson, G. S., & McDonald, L. C. (2010). Clostridium difficile Infections among Hospitalized Children, United States, 1997-2006. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 604-609.
C. difficile is highly contagious and is transmitted through the fecal-oral route. 2 It also known to develop right afte...
Often patients encompassing with Clostridium difficile have no symptoms or they may express symptoms of mild diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis, and inflammation of the colon causing pain (Mitchell, 2014). Clostridium difficile is a bacterial infection of the intestine and it may occur in patients who are immunocompromised or taking broad-spectrum antibiotics. Walter (2014) explains that the most important risk factor for CDI continues to be recent administration of antibiotics. The infection occurs from depression of the normal flora of the bowel through the administration of antibiotics. The depression of the normal flora increases the number of C. difficile bacteria within the intestines. The overgrowth of C. difficile causes diarrhea. Abdominal cramps, fever, and leukocytosis are noted in most patients. Symptoms usually begin 4 to 10 days after the initiation of antibiotic therapy (Elsevier,
According to the article The mechanism and efficacy of probiotics in the prevention of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea there is a great concern about increasing incidence of C. difficile infection due to use of broad spectrum antibiotics. Clindamycin, third generation of cephalosporins and flouroquinolones are considered high risk antibiotics. It is believed that normal gastrointestinal flora has potential effect in inhibition C.difficile growth and toxin A,B release which offen associated with sever diarrhea resulting in patient’s mortality and other comorbidities. After first episode, there is a high chance for relapses due to reduction serum IgG antibodies to toxin A and colonic IgA secretion cells.
A common hospital acquired condition that nurses see now days is clostridium difficile. This bacterium usually invades patients who have been on long-term antibiotics that have killed off bacteria that protect them from infection. C. diff is passed from host to host by both direct and indirect contact making it readily moved from patient to patient in hospital settings (Mayo, 2013, 1). Nurses can use the QSEN competencies and KSAs to help treat and prevent hospital acquired conditions such as C.diff.
..., as chronic P. aeruginosa infections that were once prevalent in CF children, no longer infect most CF patients during childhood.
Clostridium Difficile (C. difficile) is a bacteria-related gastrointestinal infection that is caused (etiology) by the use of antibiotics therapy or exposure to the C. difficile spores (Swartz, 2013). According to published reports compiled by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), National Safety Network (NHSN), and the Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), the rate of CDI have a major financial impact (costs associated with medical management of CDI) on health care institution across the United States. CDI is major concern for hospital administrators and patients at Sharp Grossmont Hospital (SGH) and other in hospitals within the Sharp Healthcare Network (SHN). According to data released by CPDH and the CDC, from January to December 2012 three hospitals within the (SHN) reported 136 new cases of CDI. Statistical data also show that 20,000 to 34,000 patients were admitted or readmitted to the hospitals for recurrent complications related to CDI such as electrolyte imbalance, nutrition deficits, and systemic bacteremia (CDPH, 2013).
Clinical Infectious Diseases, 49(3), 438-443. Doi:10.1086/600391. See full address and map. Medicare.gov/Hospital Compare - The Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare (n.d).
Is fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) effective treatment for patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC). UC is a chronic inflammation of the large intestine. FMT is used to describe the delivery of a healthy donors stool into a patient via enema, colonoscope, or nasogastric tube. In the past several years FMT has been used for an alternative treatment with patients diagnosed with Clostridium difficile (CD). The purpose of this paper is to discuss if FMT is just as effective in treating UC over just medication. The articles below will give insight if this theory is true or not.
Clostridium perfringens is a gram-positive spore-forming bacillus involved in foodborne illness and wound infection. It is an obligate anaerobe and the only member of the genus Clostridium that is non-motile. This microorganism is normally present in soil and decaying vegetation and is an inhabitant of animal and human intestines. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, C. perfringens is one of the most common sources of foodborne illness in the United States, being the cause of an estimated 1 million cases each year. However, it is also prevalent worldwide. This bacterium has the shortest reported generation time of any organism at 6.3 minutes in thioglycollate medium, making it particularly virulent after initial inoculation.
Pyrek, K. M. (2009, December 18). SPOTLIGHT ON PREVENTION: HAI-Related Litigation: What Infection Preventionists Need to Know. Retrieved December 30, 2013, from http://hospitalacquiredinfections.blogspot.com/2010/01/hai-related-litigation-what-infection.html?m=1
E. Coli 0157, written by Mary Heersink, is a nerve-racking, adrenaline-filled story of a mother's experience with a then unknown deadly bacteria. The book brings up many reactions in its readers, especially the questioning of the practice of doctors in hospitals. The reader's knowledge base of scientific procedures in emergency centers was widened as well as the knowledge of how to the human body reacts to different agents in its system.
CLABSIs are not confined to one unit of nursing care and there are many precipitating factors that may contribute to the development of a CLABSI. Often times these lines are placed in emergent situations in the emergency department (ED) and there may be a break in sterile technique. However a study conducted by Smith, Egger, Franklin, Harbrecht, and Richardson (2011) found a higher incidence of CLABSIs among intensive care unit (ICU) patients compared to those patients whose CLs were placed either in the ED or operating room (OR). This indicates further education for ICU s...
Secondary:Curtis, L. (2008). Prevention of hospital-acquired infections: review of non-pharmacological interventions. Journal of Hospital Infection, 69(3), 204-219. Revised 01/20
Patient safety must be the first priority in the health care system, and it is widely accepta-ble that unnecessary harm to a patient must be controlled.Two million babies and mother die due to preventable medical errors annually worldwide due to pregnancy related complications and there is worldwide increase in nosocomial infections, which is almost equal to 5-10% of total admissions occurring in the hospitals. (WHO Patient Safety Research, 2009). Total 1.4 million patients are victims of hospital-acquired infection. (WHO Patient Safety Research, 2009). Unsafe infection practice leads to 1.3 million death word wide and loss of 26 millions of life while ad-verse drug events are increasing in health care and 10% of total admitted patients are facing ad-verse drug events. (WHO Patient Safety Re...
(2014) shed light on two key components for infection control, which includes protecting patients from acquiring infections and protecting health care workers from becoming infected (Curchoe et al., 2014). The techniques that are used to protect patients also provide protection for nurses and other health care workers alike. In order to prevent the spread of infections, it is important for health care workers to be meticulous and attentive when providing care to already vulnerable patients (Curchoe et al., 2014). If a health care worker is aware they may contaminate the surroundings of a patient, they must properly clean, disinfect, and sterilize any contaminated objects in order to reduce or eliminate microorganisms (Curchoe et al., 2014). It is also ideal to change gloves after contact with contaminated secretions and before leaving a patient’s room (Curchoe, 2014). Research suggests that due to standard precaution, gloves must be worn as a single-use item for each invasive procedure, contact with sterile sites, and non-intact skin or mucous membranes (Curchoe et al., 2014). Hence, it is critical that health care workers change gloves during any activity that has been assessed as carrying a risk of exposure to body substances, secretions, excretions, and blood (Curchoe et al.,