Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T01:49:35.221Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Infection Control Policies and Practices for Iowa Long-Term Care Facility Residents With Clostridium difficile Infection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Laura K. Quinn*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa
Yiyi Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistic, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa
Loreen A. Herwaldt*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa Department of Internal Medicine, the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
*
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1081 ([email protected])
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1081 ([email protected])

Abstract

Objective.

To identify infection control policies and practices used by Iowa long-term care facilities (LTCFs) for residents with Clostridium difficile infection or C. difficile-associated diarrhea and to assess use of antimicrobial agents.

Design.

Survey.

Setting.

LTCFs in Iowa that responded between March 25, 2005 (ie, when surveys were mailed), and July 2005.

Results.

Of the 418 LTCFs in Iowa, 263 (62.9%) responded. Most facilities (94.3%) reported that they accept persons known to have C. difficile infection. Few LTCFs reported that clusters of C. difficile infection had been identified. However, only 111 facilities (42.2%) had a protocol to identify residents with C. difficile infection, and most (77.5%) did not test for C. difficile unless a resident had severe diarrhea. Only 58.5% of the facilities placed residents with C. difficile infection in private rooms, and 60.9% cohorted residents infected with C. difficile with other residents with C. difficile colonization or infection. Only 66 facilities (25.1%) have a program to control the use of antimicrobial agents. Staff could use alcohol-based hand gel products after contact with residents known to have C. difficile infection (in 188 facilities [71.5%]) or diarrhea (in 173 [65.8%]). However, the survey did not ask whether the staff used alcohol-based products instead of soap and water.

Conclusions.

C. difficile is present in Iowa LTCFs, but many C. difficile infections probably remain undiagnosed. Staff in LTCFs should be educated about this organism so that they can implement appropriate testing and preventive strategies.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2007

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.Gerding, DN, Johnson, S, Peterson, LR, Mulligan, ME, Silva, J. Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea and colitis. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1995;16:459477.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Simor, AE, Bradley, SF, Strausbaugh, LJ, Crossley, K, Nicolle, LE. Clostridium difficile in long-term-care facilities for the elderly. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002;23:696703.Google Scholar
3.Simor, AE, Yake, SL, Tsimidis, K. Infection due to Clostridium difficile among elderly residents of a long-term care facility. Clin Infect Dis 1993;17:672678.Google Scholar
4.Sims, RV, Hauser, RJ, Adewale, AO, et al. Acute gastroenteritis in three community-based nursing homes. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 1995;50:M252M256.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Khayr, W, Snow, K, Woodford, M, Spillard, K, Sieben, A, Westrick, K. Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in acute and long-term care facilities. Am J Ther 1998;5:287294.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Bender, BS, Bennett, R, Laughon, BE, et al. Is Clostridium difficile endemic in chronic care facilities? Lancet 1986;2;1113.Google Scholar
7.Bentley, DW. Clostridium difficile-associated disease in long-term care facilities. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1990;11:434438.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Laffan, AM, Bellantoni, MF, Greenough, WB 3rd, Zenilman, JM. Burden of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in a long-term care facility. J Am Geriatr Soc 2006;54:10681073.Google Scholar
9.Cherifi, S, Delmee, M, Van Broeck, J, Beyer, I, Byl, B, Mascart, G. Management of an outbreak of Clostridium difficile–associated disease among geriatric patients. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2006;27:12001205.Google Scholar
10.Pepin, J, Valiquette, L, Alary, M-E, et al. Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea in a region of Quebec from 1991 to 2003: a changing pattern of disease severity. CMAJ 2004;171:466472.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Wayne, SJ, Rhyne, RL, Stratton, M. Longitudinal prescribing patterns in a nursing home population. J Am Geriatr Soc 1992;40:5356.Google Scholar
12.Warren, JW, Palumbo, FB, Fitterman, L, Speedie, SM. Incidence and characteristics of antibiotic use in aged nursing home patients. J Am Geriatr Soc 1991;39:963972.Google Scholar
13.Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, Health Facilities Division (DIA HFD). DIA HFD Web site. Available at: https://dia-hfd.iowa.gov/DIA_HFD/Home.do. Accessed January 18, 2005.Google Scholar
14.Kreman, T, Hu, J, Pottinger, J, Herwaldt, LA. Survey of long-term care facilities in Iowa for policies and practices regarding residents with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2005;26:811815.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.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;38:640645.Google Scholar
16.Thomas, DR, Bennett, RG, Laughon, BE, Greenough, WB 3rd, Bartlett, JG. Postantibiotic colonization with Clostridium difficile in nursing home patients. J Am Geriatr Soc 1990;38:415420.Google Scholar
17.Walker, KJ, Gillíland, SS, Vance-Bryan, K, et al. Clostridium difficile colonization in residents of long-term care facilities: prevalence and risk factors. J Am Geriatr Soc 1993;41:940946.Google Scholar
18.Nicolle, LE, Bentley, DW, Garibaldi, R, Neuhaus, EG, Smith, PW;the SHEA Long-Term-Care Committee. Antimicrobial use in long-term-care facilities. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2000;21:537545.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.MacDougall, C, Polk, RE. Antimicrobial stewardship programs in health care systems. Clin Microbiol Rev 2005;18:638656.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Garner, JS. Guideline for isolation precautions in hospitals. The Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1996;17:5380.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. Iowa Antibiotic Resistance Task Force. Report of the Iowa Antibiotic Resistance Task Force: a public health guide. 2nd ed. Fall 2004. Available at: http://www.idph.state.ia.us/adper/common/pdf/cade/antibioticreport.pdf. Accessed June 9, 2005.Google Scholar
22.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for hand hygiene in health-care settings: recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/ IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. MMWR Recomm Rep 2002;51(RR-16):145.Google Scholar
23.Sehulster, L, Chinn, RY. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities: recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). MMWR Recomm Rep 2003;52(RR-10):142.Google Scholar