Infection Protection Pack
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The widely reported MRSA bacteraemia figures account for
1/3 - 1% of all hospital acquired infection.

C.difficile Cycle

Who is most likely to be infected? How is the infection passed on?

A small percentage of the population (3 – 15%) carries C. difficile bacteria in the gut. These bacteria can end up on any surface around an infected person and when exposed to air the bacteria turn into spores. If the spores are swallowed they pass through the stomach unscathed because of their acid resistant outer layer. Once they reach the colon, having changed to their active form, the bacteria begin to multiply. So long as the “good” bacteria that are a normal part of our gut flora, can overcome the “bad” bacteria you will not develop symptoms. But use of antibiotics will often kill off the “good” as well as the “bad” bacteria which allows C. difficile to continue to multiply and produce the toxins which cause the symptoms - diarrhoea, bowel inflammation, colitis, pain and nausea.

Those most at risk of infection are:

• the elderly (80% are over 65)
• the immune suppressed
• those having repeated antibiotic therapy
• those having repeated enemas
• those undergoing gut surgery

ANTIBACTERIALS AND ALCOHOL GELS DO NOT KILL C.DIFF SPORES

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From – contaminated surfaces especially toilets & washrooms

From – contaminated surfaces including toothbrush, mugs, knife and fork

From - the patient’s own contaminated hands

How? - by swallowing C. difficile spores

This is called the faecal-oral route. Other infections passed on in this way are:

• E. Coli	• Campylobacter	• Thrush
• Rotavirus	• Hand, foot and mouth disease	• Worms
• Norovirus	• Hepatitis A & E	• Listeria
• Enteroccoci - VRE	• Meningitis (viral)
• Gastroenteritis	• Salmonella