Colostridium Dificile - What is it?

The 2008 BUPA Health of the Nation Survey uncovered that cleanliness is top of the list of concerns for consumers. 73% of those surveyed cited this as a reason for taking out private health insurance. This figure was up 8% from their 2007 survey. In May, another poll by Saga Private Medical Insurance found that over two thirds of people were worried about levels of hygiene and 66% were afraid of catching an infection, including Colostridium Difficile, while in hospital. So what is Colostrum Difficile and why is it so scary?


Clostridium Difficile is a bacterium and has two forms: an active, infectious form that cannot survive in the environment for prolonged periods, and a nonactive, 'non-infectious' form, called a spore, that can survive in the environment for prolonged periods. Although spores cannot cause infection directly, when they are ingested they transform into the active, infectious form.


C. difficile can be found in low numbers in a small proportion of the healthy adult population, but is kept in check by the normal, 'good' bacteria in the intestine. Although some people can be healthy carriers of C. difficile, in most cases the disease develops after cross infection from another patient, either through direct patient to patient contact, via health care staff, or via a contaminated environment. C. difficile spores are frequently found in hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities, and nurseries for newborn infants, (information taken from AMII website).


The symptom' of Clostridium Difficile are significant diarrhea, foul smelling stools and colitis (abdominal pain). It can lead to perforation of the intestine and death and it mainly affects elderly patients. In 2006 this infection was mentioned on 6,480 death certificates in the UK. As with any infectious disease, frequent hand washing with warm soap and water (simple alcohol rubs do not get rid of the spores), the wearing of gloves where possible, for example to empty bed pans and good environmental cleaning are the best defences against it. The Department of Health have created a simple guide to Clostridium difficile.