Guidance document for prevention of Clostridium difficile infection in acute healthcare settings
Guidance document for prevention of Clostridium difficile infection in acute healthcare settings - European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID)
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most important infective cause of healthcare-associated diarrhoea in high income countries and one of the most important healthcare-associated pathogens in both Europe and the United States. It is associated with high morbidity and mortality resulting in both societal and financial burden. A significant proportion of this burden is potentially preventable by a combination of targeted infection prevention and control measures and antimicrobial stewardship. The aim of this guidance document is to provide an update on recommendations for prevention of CDI in acute care settings to provide guidance to those responsible for institutional infection prevention and control programmes.
This updated guideline provides a current review of the literature on interventions to control CDI in adult populations in acute healthcare settings and derives specific infection control recommendations. It aims to provide guidance to those responsible for institutional infection control programmes, serving as a reference for best medical practice.