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C difficile

Clostridium difficile, often shortened to C difficile or C diff, is another infection that can worry people going into hospital. It can cause diarrhoea, especially when it infects people who have had antibiotics, and it can sometimes cause very serious illness. Controlling it can be difficult because the germ produces spores which can remain in the environment for long periods of time.

High standards of cleaning are needed to remove it, so areas where patients may be particularly at risk or where someone has the infection are cleaned with chlorine-containing products that destroy the spores. Hand hygiene is also very important – hands must be washed with soap and water to remove the spores as they are not killed by the alcohol hand rub.

Procedures for C difficile prevention and control

In order to reduce the risk of C difficile infection even further, we closely examine key factors from every new case to ensure that everything that should have been done was done, and to identify where we can do even more in future.

If you are diagnosed with C difficile infection or suffer symptoms that could be due to C difficile you will be cared for in a single room and staff will wear gloves and aprons. Again, this is to prevent any infection spreading to other vulnerable people and should not be taken personally.

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