C. DIFFICILE - WHERE DO I START?
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Welcome! Our website is split into modules to educate anyone and everyone about various topics that interact with C. difficile infections. Each module will have a brief survey to assess learning outcomes. You can find each module in the menu at the top of the page. Please remember your username to track your progress!
Your questions about C. difficile, Answered
Thank you for visiting C. difficile - Where do I start! This website has been created as a research-based, educational resource for patients and the general public about C. difficile infections by students at McGill University.
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Continue reading below for an overview of C. difficile infections and check out the different tabs to learn more about C. difficile in combination with other lifestyle and disease factors.
What is C. difficile?
Clostridioides (formerly known as Clostridium) difficile (C. difficile) is a type of bacterium that can infect and colonize the intestinal tract. A C. difficile infection is one of the most common and serious causes of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in a healthcare setting (1).
The incidence of infection by C. difficile varies based globally but can be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, leading to longer hospital stays, extended treatment times, and higher rates of complications (2, 3). In the United States, C. difficile is the cause of 15% of all health-care associated infections (4). C. difficile infections are becoming more frequent, more severe, more difficult to treat, and more likely to recur after initial treatment (5).
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References
1. Czepiel J, Dróżdż M, Pituch H, Kuijper EJ, Perucki W, Mielimonka A, et al. Clostridium difficile infection: review. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2019;38(7):1211-21.
2. Burke KE, Lamont JT. Clostridium difficile infection: a worldwide disease. Gut Liver. 2014;8(1):1-6.
3. Napolitano LM, Edmiston CE, Jr. Clostridium difficile disease: Diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment update. Surgery. 2017;162(2):325-48.
4. Magill SS, O'Leary E, Janelle SJ, Thompson DL, Dumyati G, Nadle J, et al. Changes in Prevalence of Health Care-Associated Infections in U.S. Hospitals. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(18):1732-44.
5. McDonald LC, Gerding DN, Johnson S, Bakken JS, Carroll KC, Coffin SE, et al. Clinical Practice Guidelines for Clostridium difficile Infection in Adults and Children: 2017 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(7):e1-e48.
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