C. difficile infection induces severe diarrhea in patients compromised by antibiotic usage and underlying disease conditions. Elderly patients are especially at risk. The recent outbreak in a hospital in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, has caused concern - nine people have died due to complications from C. difficile-associated disease (CDAD). Media reports have suggested that the strain of C. difficile involved is different from a previous hypervirulent strain, which caused outbreaks at 30 Quebec hospitals between 2002 and 2004. However, at present, there is no evidence to support speculation that the current outbreak strain is an alternative strain that is even more virulent than the previous hypervirulent strain.
Until laboratory testing types the strain, there is no reason to believe that this recent outbreak is not a re-emergence of the previous outbreak strain. C. difficile is pretty much endemic in hospitals – while it may seem that you’ve gotten rid of it, it is not surprising that it may recur sometime in the future. C. difficile forms spores when environmental conditions are insufficient to support its growth.
A study published in 2005 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) in Quebec (Pepin et al.), indicated that a more virulent strain of the bacteria was present in Quebec hospitals. The study found that C. difficile was indirectly responsible for 108 deaths during a six-month period - many of these patients were elderly with underlying conditions that contributed to their deaths.
- Fruitarian Diet
- Absolutely Free Diet Pill
Totally free diet pills samples offered by our sponsors. Check out our free diet pills forum selection.
- Eat Rice Diet
Ann's Story. Ann had lived almost her entire life in Durham, N.C., but she had never thought seriously of the Rice Diet Program until severe high blood pressure and ...
- Delivery Diet Meal
- Jennifer Garners Diet
Although Jennifer Garner recently claimed that she's "in the worst shape ever," she's definitely regaining her svelte, pre-pregnancy body! What's her weight loss secret?