CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE IN DOLJ COUNTY (ROMANIA) – SURVEILLANCE INFORMATION 2015 TO 2016

Abstract

Objectives. The paper aims epidemiological characteristics of the nosocomial infection with Clostridium difficile (CDIn) based on surveillance data reported by medical facilities in Dolj County (Romania). Methods. We performed a retrospective study (January 2015 – December 2016) of 506 files with declaration of cases of C. difficile infections (CDI) recorded in adults. Results. CDIn represented 83.7% of the cases of CDI, an increase from 13.8 cases/month in 2015 to 21.5 cases/month in 2016. The symptoms began after discharge in 46.6% of cases and during hospitalization for 53.4% of the reported cases. The illness origin was in 47.8% of cases in a medical unit different from the reporting one. The number of CDIn was higher in the infectious disease wards (0.73 cases/bed/year) and intensive care (0.3 cases/bed/year). The main risk factors were the antibiotics administration (87.1%) and the age over 60 (69.3% of cases). The lethality by CDIn was 2.1% and in 5.7% of the cases, death being produced by aggravation of the associated pathology. Conclusions. The implementation of the CDI surveillance contributed to Dolj County to improve monitoring and identification of the risk factors associated to this disorder.

Keywords

• clostridium difficile
• nosocomial infection
• surveillance data