Has the severity of Clostridium difficile infections increased?

摘要

Concerns have been expressed in the past few months that the severity of Clostridium difficile infections, particularly of infections associated with ribotype 027, may have increased. As a result, the Health Protection Agency in the UK has warned microbiologists to be alert in terms of noticing any increases in severity or mortality.The emergence of strains similar to ribotype 027 has been reported in Quebec (Canada),1'2 and this was associated with an increase in both the incidence and the severity of C. difficile cases, including an increase in mortality within 30 days.