Comparison of Control of Clostridium difficile Infection in Six English Hospitals Using Whole-Genome Sequencing.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Variation in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates between healthcare institutions suggests overall incidence could be reduced if the lowest rates could be achieved more widely.

Methods

We used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of consecutive C. difficile isolates from 6 English hospitals over 1 year (2013-14) to compare infection control performance. Fecal samples with a positive initial screen for C. difficile were sequenced. Within each hospital, we estimated the proportion of cases plausibly acquired from previous cases.

Results

Overall, 851/971 (87.6%) sequenced samples contained toxin genes, and 451 (46.4%) were fecal-toxin-positive. Of 652 potentially toxigenic isolates >90-days after the study started, 128 (20%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 17-23%

SUBMITTER: Eyre DW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5850028 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature