APIC Revises Guide to Preventing C difficile Infections

In an effort to stop the transmission of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI), which claim the lives of at least 14,000 Americans annually, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has issued an updated Implementation Guide to help clinicians protect patients.

The new edition of the Guide to Preventing Clostridium difficile Infections is an update to the 2008 Elimination Guide and contains both new material and revised content that reflect evolving practices and new discoveries. It is available as a free online download.

Developed by a team of infection prevention experts, the guide includes sections on the changing epidemiology of CDI, strategies for prevention, considerations for specific patient populations, and new and emerging technologies. The easy-to-read format also features practical tools, checklists, frequently-asked-questions, and a glossary of terms. A sampling of topics includes:

 CDI in pediatrics and skilled nursing facilities

 Hand hygiene

 Fecal bacteriotherapy (stool transplant)

 Environmental cleaning and monitoring

 Antimicrobial stewardship

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths related to CDI increased 400 percent between 2000 and 2007, due in part to a stronger germ strain. CDI is estimated to add at least $1 billion annually to U.S. healthcare costs.

APIC Implementation Guides (formerly Elimination Guides) provide practical, evidence-based strategies for surveillance and elimination of infection. Implementation Guides are created to provide infection preventionists with practical, how-to information and online tools and resources that encompass the latest research and regulatory requirements. Open access ensures that this information, critical to the care of patients, is available to the widest possible audience.