South African Society of Clinical Microbiology Clostridioides difficile infection diagnosis, management and infection prevention and control guideline

Trusha Nana; Chanelle Moore; Tom Boyles; Adrian J Brink; Joy Cleghorn; Lesley M Devenish; Briette du Toit; Ernst S Fredericks; Molebogeng R Lekalakala-Mokaba; Caroline Maluleka; Muhammad N Rajabally; Gary Reubenson; Liliwe Shuping; Karin Swart; Khine Swe Swe Han; Jeannette Wadula; Justyna Wojno; Warren Lowman

doi:10.4102/sajid.v35i1.219

South African Society of Clinical Microbiology Clostridioides difficile infection diagnosis, management and infection prevention and control guideline

S Afr J Infect Dis. 2020 Oct 28;35(1):219. doi: 10.4102/sajid.v35i1.219. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Trusha Nana^{1

2}, Chanelle Moore³, Tom Boyles^{4

5}, Adrian J Brink⁶, Joy Cleghorn⁷, Lesley M Devenish^{1

8}, Briette du Toit⁹, Ernst S Fredericks¹⁰, Molebogeng R Lekalakala-Mokaba^{11

12}, Caroline Maluleka^{11

12}, Muhammad N Rajabally¹³, Gary Reubenson¹⁴, Liliwe Shuping¹⁵, Karin Swart¹⁶, Khine Swe Swe Han^{17

18}, Jeannette Wadula^{1

19}, Justyna Wojno²⁰, Warren Lowman^{1

21

22}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
² Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital Microbiology Laboratory, National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa.
³ Ampath Laboratories, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁵ Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
⁶ Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁷ Life Healthcare Group, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁸ Infection Control Services Laboratory, National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁹ Mediclinic Southern Africa, Cape Town, South Africa.
¹⁰ Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
¹¹ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa.
¹² Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital Microbiology Laboratory, National Health Laboratory Services, Pretoria, South Africa.
¹³ Mediclinic Constantiaberg, Cape Town, South Africa.
¹⁴ Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
¹⁵ Centre for Healthcare-Associated Infections, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a division of National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.
¹⁶ Netcare Hospitals Limited, Johannesburg, South Africa.
¹⁷ Medical Microbiology Department, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital Academic Complex, National Health Laboratory Services, Durban, South Africa.
¹⁸ Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
¹⁹ Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Microbiology Laboratory, National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa.
²⁰ Lancet Laboratories, Cape Town, South Africa.
²¹ Department of Clinical Microbiology, PathCare/Vermaak Pathologists, Johannesburg, South Africa.
²² Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Prevention and Control, WITS Donald Gordon Medical Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Abstract

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a problem in both developed and developing countries and is a common hospital-acquired infection. This guideline provides evidence-based practical recommendations for South Africa and other developing countries. The scope of the guideline includes CDI diagnostic approaches; adult, paediatric and special populations treatment options; and surveillance and infection prevention and control recommendations.

Keywords: Clostridioides difficile; diagnosis; infection control; infection prevention; outbreak; surveillance; treatment.