Hospitals Fight Against Deadly Bacterium
Hospitals around the country are trying to prevent a drug-resistant staph infection from becoming more of a threat. The bacteria called Clostridum difficile, or C. diff, is responsible for more than 20,000 deaths and at least $1 billion in heath care costs in the United States per year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. C. diff is a bacteria found in the colon and spread through spores that can live on surfaces for months and cause diarrhea, intestinal inflammation and abdominal pain.
St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI is trying to take stronger precautions in order to prevent C. diff from occurring. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists invited some local hospitals to take larger strides to develop their antimicrobial stewardship programs and to share the lessons with hospitals nationwide. C. diff is more prevalent among patients who take strong antibiotics for other conditions they may have. These drugs typically fight off “good bacteria” that keeps C.diff at bay. It has become increasingly important for doctor’s to closely monitor patient’s antibiotic intake and to make sure that they are only taking antibiotics if they really need them.
Hospitals are also beginning to take other measures to prevent the rise of C. diff. They isolate the patients who are diagnosed with C. diff and use bleach to clean their rooms and also require workers to wash their hands with soap and water once they are in the care with the patient with C. diff because alcohol based gels do not kill the spores. One hospital is also installing an electronic surveillance system in order to monitor the hand washing of employees. Another hospital is studying ultraviolet light that has been shown to disrupt the bacteria’s DNA. This type of deadly bacteria is prevalent among elderly individuals and can affect how long they are admitted to a hospital and how much more specialized treatment they need. It is important to find out whether C. diff is infecting your loved one and whether or not the hospital or medical facility is taking the appropriate precautions in preventing it.
