Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T20:08:28.251Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Clostridium difficile Infection in a Department of Veterans Affairs Long-Term Care Facility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Dubert M. Guerrero
Affiliation:
University Hospitals of Cleveland Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Michelle M. Nerandzic
Affiliation:
Research Service, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Lucy A. Jury
Affiliation:
Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Shelley Chang
Affiliation:
Research Service, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Robin L. Jump
Affiliation:
Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Curtis J. Donskey*
Affiliation:
Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
*
Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Louis Stokes Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106 ([email protected])

Extract

In a Veterans Affairs medical center, 39% of healthcare facility–onset, healthcare facility-associated Clostridium difficile infections had their onset in the affiliated long-term care facility (LTCF). Eighty-five percent of LTCF-onset patients had been transferred from the hospital within the past month. Delays in diagnosis and treatment were common for LTCF-onset patients.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Campbell, RJ, Giljahn, L, Machesky, K, et al. Clostridium difficile infection in Ohio hospitals and nursing homes during 2006. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2009;30(6):526533.Google Scholar
2. Gaynes, R, Rimland, D, Killum, E, et al. Outbreak of Clostridium difficile infection in a long-term care facility: association with gatifloxacin use. Clin Infect Dis 2004;38(5):640645.Google Scholar
3. Kazakova, S, Ware, K, Baughman, B, et al. A hospital outbreak of diarrhea due to an emerging epidemic strain of Clostridium difficile . Arch Intern Med 2006;166(22):25182524.Google Scholar
4. McDonald, LC, Coignard, B, Dubberke, E, et al. Recommendations for surveillance of Clostridium difficile-associated disease. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2007;28(2):140145.Google Scholar
5. Mylotte, J. Surveillance for Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in long-term care facilities: what you get is not what you see. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2008;29(8):760763.Google Scholar
6. Chang, HT, Krezolek, D, Johnson, S, Parada, JP, Evans, CT, Gerding, DN. Onset of symptoms and time to diagnosis of Clostridium difficile-associated disease following discharge from an acute care hospital. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2007;28(8):926931.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Riggs, MM, Sethi, AK, Zabarsky, TF, Eckstein, EC, Jump, RLP, Donskey, CJ. Asymptomatic carriers are a potential source for transmission of epidemic and nonepidemic Clostridium difficile strains among long-term care facility residents. Clin Infect Dis 2007;45(8):992998.Google Scholar
8. Scheurer, D. Diagnostic and treatment delays in recurrent Clostridium diffidle-associated disease. J Hosp Med 2008;3(2):157159.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Quinn, LK, Chen, Y, Herwaldt, LA. Infection control policies and practices for Iowa long-term care facility residents with Clostridium difficile infection. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2007;28(11):12281232.Google Scholar
10. Roup, BJ, Roche, JC, Pass, M. Infection control program disparities between acute and long-term care facilities in Maryland. Am J Infect Control 2006;34(3):122127.Google Scholar