A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine describes the burden of Clostridium difficile infections (C diff.) in the United States. The study reviews data from 2011 on infections among patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and in the community, and indicates that the risks for C diff infection and death increase with age in every setting.
The study found that C diff caused nearly half a million infections among US patients in a single year. Approximately 29,000 patients died within 30 days of the initial diagnosis. Older Americans are especially vulnerable to this deadly diarrheal infection. Two out of every three healthcare-associated C diff infections occur in patients aged 65 years or older. More than 80% of the deaths associated with C diff infection occurred among Americans aged 65 years or older, and one out of every nine older adults with a healthcare-associated C diff infection died within 30 days of diagnosis, according to the new study.
Unnecessary antibiotic use and poor infection control practices may increase the spread of C diff within a healthcare facility and from facility to facility when infected patients transfer, such as from a hospital to a nursing home. More than 100,000 C diff infections develop among residents of US nursing homes each year, making C diff infections among the most serious healthcare complications that affect the nursing home population.
Banatrol Plus is clinically proven to reduce the severity and length of time patients experience diarrhea including those with C. diff. Banatrol Plus should be administered as soon as C. diff is suspected. As the study notes, C. diff is highly contagious and spreads easily from patient to facility. Controlling diarrhea and the subsequent spread of the bacteria on bed linens, toilets, carpet and floors is a key element in isolating the infection.