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Archive for November, 2008

Nov 29 2008

U.S. Hospitals experiencing widespread intestinal infections

Have you heard of Clostridium difficile?  If not, you may want to read up on it.  This serious and life threatening bacteria is becoming increasingly  more common in American hospitals than was previously thought.

Clostridium difficile Infection of (CDI) can cause diarrhea and many other more serious intestinal conditions.  It is estimated that it may be affecting 13 out of every 1,000 hospital patients in America. The rate of infection for this condition is 6.5 to 20 times greater than was previously thought.  This should alert healthcare workers about the importance of better hygiene and to use more caution when issuing antibiotics.

It is estimated that 7,200 hospital patients in America have CDI every day.  This rate will only increase as the population continues to age and become weaker.  CDI can be quite dangerous; in some people they may only have diarrhea but some may experience bowel perforation that requires surgery, shock, or even death.

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