C. Difficile

Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) have been a growing source of concern in healthcare as rates of recurrent infections are increasing in elderly populations and widespread antibiotic usage continues.

The student was diagnosed with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) on February 7, 2016 at Liberty Elementary School of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

A survey of 571 US hospitals regarding practices used to prevent Clostridium difficile infection indicates that nearly half of the facilities appear to not be taking steps to prevent the infection that kills nearly 30,000 people and sickens hundreds of thousands more each year, despite strong evidence that these steps work.

From 2001 to 2010, the infection rate of a particular intestinal "superbug" has doubled, with increases in mortality rates and length of hospital stays reflecting this trend.