Identification of novel risk factors for community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection using spatial statistics and geographic information system analyses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The rate of community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CA-CDI) is increasing. While receipt of antibiotics remains an important risk factor for CDI, studies related to acquisition of C. difficile outside of hospitals are lacking. As a result, risk factors for exposure to C. difficile in community settings have been inadequately studied.

Main objective

To identify novel environmental risk factors for CA-CDI.

Methods

We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study of patients with CA-CDI from 1/1/2007 through 12/31/2014 in a 10-county area in central North Carolina. 360 Census Tracts in these 10 counties were used as the demographic Geographic Information System (GIS) base-map. Longitude and latitude (X, Y) coordinates were generated from

SUBMITTER: Anderson DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5433765 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature