Infections due to Clostridium Difficile
Clostridium difficile is one of the most common causes of healthcare associated infection in the United States. Despite significant attention and resources, national rates increased dramatically between 2000-2011 and have only started to decline in the last five years.. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) updated their clinical practice guidelines on the diagnosis and management of C. difficile disease in 2017. The recommended changes in therapeutic guidelines, recommendations for pediatric patient populations, and overview of available diagnostics are described herein. Additionally, this review discusses the changing epidemiology, examines the pathophysiology of the disease process, and outlines current infection control and prevention strategies. This review has 6 figures and 9 tables. Key Words: Clostridium difficile, diarrhea, colitis, antibiotics, spores, nosocomial, hospital