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Cases Of C. Diff Infection Increasing In Children

By Ashlee Meriwether

Story Created: May 23, 2012

Story Updated: May 23, 2012

The number of people contracting the hard-to-control bacterial infection Clostridium difficile is increasing.  According to Sahil Khanna, M.D., Mayo Clinic Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “We have seen Clostridium difficile infection as a cause for diarrhea in humans for more than 30 years, and the incidence of infections has been increasing in the last decade.” C. difficile is an environmental infection, commonly seen on surfaces in the hospital and described to be present in some food sources.  Because the infection can be spread from person to person, Mayo Clinic researchers recommend practicing prevention, including:

  • Wash hands with soap and water.
  • Clean suspected contaminated surfaces with bleach-based solutions.
  • Avoid contact with people who are known to have C. diff Infection (CDI).
  • Take extra hygiene precautions if you are living with a person who has CDI, or who works in a health care setting where they might be exposed to patients with CDI.

 

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