Abstract
Clostridium difficile is the main cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Diarrhea associated with C. difficile has increased incidence, morbidity, and mortality in the last few years. The major related risk factors include use of antibiotics, elderly patients and prolonged hospital stay. Many patients receive combinations of antibiotics or multiple antibiotics, which represents the main risk to develop diarrhea associated to C. difficile or its recurrence. Therefore, interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing, as well as compliance with infection control measures can reduce hospital-acquired C. difficile infections. This review addresses the epidemiological changes in C. difficile disease and its treatment.
MeSH terms
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
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Brazil / epidemiology
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Clostridioides difficile / drug effects
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Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification
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Clostridium Infections / diagnosis
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Clostridium Infections / drug therapy
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Clostridium Infections / epidemiology*
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Clostridium Infections / microbiology
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Clostridium Infections / physiopathology
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Cross Infection / epidemiology
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Cross Infection / microbiology
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Diarrhea / epidemiology
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Diarrhea / microbiology
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Disease Susceptibility
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Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
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Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / epidemiology
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Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / microbiology
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Humans
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Immunotherapy
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Morbidity / trends
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Probiotics / therapeutic use
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Recurrence
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Risk Factors