This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
NAP1 C. difficile may be emerging in the community and in younger populations
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The NAP1 strain of Clostridium difficile may be emerging in the community and affecting individuals who are approximately 20 years younger than individuals who acquire the infection in a hospital, according to findings of a recent study.
The findings were presented by Ghinwa Dumyati, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of Rochester in New York, at the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s recent meeting.
The researchers identified 366 cases of C. difficile that were toxin-positive. Among those, there were 83 (24%) presumptive community-acquired cases and 42 (11%) community-acquired cases that were confirmed by patient interview.
Patients with community-acquired infections were younger than patients with hospital-acquired infections; 53 vs. 73 years (P<.001).
There were 14 hospitalizations but no complications or deaths reported among patients with community- acquired infections.
Antibiotic use within 12 weeks was reported by 74% of patients with community-acquired infections. Penicillin was the most commonly reported antibiotic.
Proton pump inhibitors or H2 blockers had been used by 22% of patients within 12 weeks of illness.
Analysis by pulse-field gel electrolysis determined that the NAP1 strain accounted for 21% of community-acquired infections and 33% of healthcare-associated infections.
“The major impact of the disease remains in the hospital and long-term care, but this is becoming an important disease in the community,” Dumyati said. – by Rob Volansky