From the Guidelines
Preventive treatment for Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection primarily involves good hand hygiene with soap and water, contact precautions, and antimicrobial stewardship to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, as recommended by the most recent guidelines 1.
Key Preventive Measures
- Hand hygiene with soap and water is the cornerstone of prevention, as it effectively removes C. difficile spores from hands 1
- Contact precautions, including the use of personal protective equipment (gloves and gowns/disposable aprons), should be used by all healthcare workers in contact with patients with known or suspected CDI 1
- Environmental cleaning with sporicidal agents, such as sodium hypochlorite solutions, is crucial in preventing the transmission of C. difficile 1
- Antimicrobial stewardship programs should be implemented to minimize the frequency and duration of high-risk antibiotic therapy and reduce the number of antibiotic agents prescribed 1
Additional Preventive Strategies
- Daily cleaning with a sporicidal agent should be considered in conjunction with other measures to prevent CDI during outbreaks or in hyperendemic settings 1
- Patients should be encouraged to wash their hands and shower to reduce the burden of spores on the skin 1
- Bezlotoxumab, a monoclonal antibody, may be considered for patients with other risks for CDI recurrence, such as age >65 years, immunocompromised host, and severe CDI on presentation 1
Importance of Recent Guidelines
The most recent guidelines from 2021 1 provide updated recommendations for the prevention and treatment of C. difficile infection, emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene, contact precautions, and antimicrobial stewardship in preventing the transmission of C. difficile. These guidelines should be followed to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients at risk of C. difficile infection.
From the Research
Preventive Treatment for Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) Infection
- The preventive treatment for C. diff infection includes antibiotic stewardship, improved disinfection of hospitals and nursing homes, chemo- and immuno-prophylaxis, and next-generation probiotics 2.
- Probiotics have been shown to be effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea and may also be beneficial in preventing C. difficile infections 3.
- Specific probiotic strains, such as Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus casei DN114001, and mixtures of L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, have been found to significantly improve primary CDI prevention 3.
- Discontinuation of chronic acid suppressive therapy is also key for the prevention and treatment of C. diff infection 4.
- Emerging therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and microbe-based approaches, are being developed for the prevention and treatment of C. difficile infections 5, 6.
- Fecal microbiota transplantation and live biotherapeutic products have been proven effective in recurrent C. difficile infection and address dysbiosis 4.