Increasing awareness of Clostridium difficile infection among patients with acute gastroenteritis admitted to a department of infectology

Abstract

Introduction:Clostridium difficile infection is known as the primary cause of nosocomial gastroenteritis, which accounts for approximately 20–25% of all diarrhea. Infection can lead to a potentially fatal disease and the incidence of that is increasing worldwide. Aim: The aim of the authors was to examine retrospectively the growing importance of Clostridium difficile infections at the Infectology Department of the University of Szeged, Hungary. Methods: Patients with acute gastroenteritis admitted to the Department from 2005 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2011 were studied. Results: In 2005 and 2006, Salmonella infections occurred most frequently, followed by Campylobacter species and toxin-producing Clostridium difficile infections. From 2008 the authors witnessed a continuous increase in the incidence of Clostridium difficile infections. As a result, toxin positive Clostridium difficile became the leading pathogenic agent among patients with acute gastroenteritis by the year of 2009. Besides demonstrating the increasing incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection, prognostic factors such as co-morbidities and laboratory parameters of inflammation were also identified. Conclusion: The results confirm the increasing importance of Clostridium difficile infection among patients with acute gastroenteritis. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1992–1997.