Geriatric Nursing
Volume 28, Issue 3 , Pages 161-164 , May 2007

Clostridium difficile: An Emerging Epidemic in Nursing Homes

  • Neva L. Crogan, PhD, APRN, BC, FNGNA

      Affiliations

    • NEVA L. CROGAN, PhD, APRN, BC, FNGNA, is an associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Nursing, Tucson, and coeditor of the NGNA section of Geriatric Nursing.
    • ,
  • Bronwynne C. Evans, PhD, RN, FNGNA

      Affiliations

    • BRONWYNNE C. EVANS, PhD, RN, FNGNA, is an associate professor at Arizona State University College of Nursing, Phoenix, and coeditor of the NGNA section of Geriatric Nursing.

References 

  1. Akhtar AJ. Acute diarrhea in frail elderly nursing home residents. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2003;4:34–39
  2. Yoselevitz S, Kumar V, Gambert SR. Clostridium difficile–associated disease: a rising epidemic in our elderly population. Clin Geriatr. 2006;14:36–45
  3. Simor AE, Yake SL, Tsimidis K. Infection due to Clostridium difficile among elderly residents of a long-term care facility. Clin Infect Dis. 1993;17:672–678
  4. Al-Tureihi FIJ, Hassoun A, Wolf-Klein G, et al. Albumin, length of stay, and proton pump inhibitors: Key factors in Clostridium difficile–associated disease in nursing home patients. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2005;6:105–108
  5. McDonald LC, Banerjee S, Jernigan DB. Increasing incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated disease in U.S. acute care hospitals, 1993-2001. 2004;Presented at the 14th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, April 17-20; Philadelphia, PA
  6. Poutanen SM, Simor AE. Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea in adults. CMAJ. 2004;171:51–58
  7. Blot E, Escande MC, Besson D, et al. Outbreak of Clostridium difficile- related diarrhea in an adult oncology unit: Risk factors and microbiological characteristics. J Hosp Infect. 2003;53:187–192
  8. Barbut F, Petit JC. Epidemiology of Clostridium difficile–associated infections. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2001;7:405–410
  9. Sunenshine RH, McDonald CL. Clostridium difficile–associated disease: New challenges from an established pathogen. Cleveland Clin J Med. 2006;73:187–197
  10. Yoshikawa TT. Epidemiology and unique aspects of aging and infectious diseases. Clin Infect Dis. 2000;30:931–933
  11. Delmee M. Laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile disease. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2001;7:411–416
  12. Barbut F, Richard A, Hamadi K, et al. Epidemiology of recurrences or reinfections of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea. J Clin Microbiol. 2000;38:2386–2388
  13. Wenisch C, Parschalk B, Hasenhundl M, et al. Comparison of vancomycin, teicoplanin, metronidazole, and fusidic acid for the treatment of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea. Clin Infect Dis. 1996;22:813–818
  14. Laffan AM, Bellantoni MF, Greenough WB, et al. Burden of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea in a long-term care facility. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006;54:1068–1073

PII: S0197-4572(07)00106-1

doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2007.04.005

Geriatric Nursing
Volume 28, Issue 3 , Pages 161-164 , May 2007

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