C. Diff Infection: An Urgent Public Health Threat Phase 2

C. Diff Infection:

An Urgent Public Health Threat

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Get the full story of the microbiome

  1. Importance of Microbial Diversity
  2. Dysbiosis and C. Diff Infection
  3. C. Diff Infection: An Urgent Public Health Threat
  4. Recurrent C. Diff Infection Burden
  5. Standard of Care May Be Incomplete
  6. Limitations of Current Therapeutic Options

C. diff infection requires urgent and aggressive action.

 

A major and urgent threat, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), C. diff infection is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections in US hospitals, affecting approximately half a million people annually.1,2

Significant complications
associated with C. diff infection

Sepsis

SEPSIS

27%3,a

aFirst recurrence.

Colectomy

Colectomy

7%3,a

aFirst recurrence.

Heart failure

Heart Failure

43%4

Subsequent recurrence

Subsequent Recurrence

up to 60%5

Anxiety

Anxiety

13.9%6

PTSD

Ptsd

0.3%6

Depression

Depression

15.3%6

Mortality

Mortality associated with C. diff infection:

30-day mortality rate of C. diff infection ranges from 5% to 14% after an initial episode.2,7

A study of Medicare patients with community-acquired C. diff infection documented a 9% mortality rate during inpatient stay.8

In a recent CDC reseach letter, patients (N=9) with severe-acute-respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) and C. diff infection had a 44% mortality rate.9

Unfortunately, C. diff infection may be the beginning of a vicious cycle of recurrence.

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References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. 2021 Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report: Clostridioides Difficile. https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/threats-report/clostridioides-difficile-508.pdf. Accessed August 25, 2021.
  2. Guh AY, Mu Y, Winston LG, et al. Trends in U.S. burden of Clostridioides difficile infection and outcomes. N Engl J Med. 2021;382(14):1320-1330.
  3. Feuerstadt P, Boules M, Stong L, et al. Clinical complications in patients with primary and recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection: a real-world data analysis. SAGE Open Medicine. January 2021. doi:10.1177/2050312120986733
  4. Nelson W, Scott TA, Boules M, et al. Health care utilization and costs of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection in the elderly: a real-world claim analysis. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2021;27(7):828-838.
  5. Leong C, Zelenitsky S. Treatment strategies for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2013;66(6):361-368.
  6. Scott TA, Unni S, Boules M, et al. Clinical burden of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection in the Medicare population. Presented at: 2020 Digestive Disease Week; May 2-5, 2020; Chicago, IL.
  7. Freeman J, Bauer MP, Baines SD, et al. The changing epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infections. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2010;23(3):529-549.
  8. Collins CE, Ayturk MD, Flahive JM, et al. Epidemiology and outcomes of community-acquired Clostridium difficile infections in medicare beneficiaries. J Am Coll Surg. 2014;218(6):1141-1147.e1.
  9. Sandhu A, Tillotson G, Polistico J, et al. Clostridioides difficile in COVID-19 patients, Detroit, Michigan, USA, March–April 2020. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020;26(9).2272-2274.