The Frequency of clostridium difficile in hospital-acquired diarrhea among children

Abstract

The increasing use of antibiotics corresponds with a corresponding increase in AAD and its associated problems and complications. Its frequent occurrence, significant morbidity and associated health care costs, make prevention or treatment of AAD a high priority. Clostridium Difficile is the leading cause of antibiotic associated diarrhea in hospitalized patients. New challenges have been posed by the emergence of highly virulent C. Difficile strains that may be refractory to standard treatment. Rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis is critical to reduce the morbidity from Clostridium Difficile infection (CDI) and allow the implementation of specific infection control measures. The aim of this study is to measure the frequency of clostridium difficile as a cause of nosocomial diarrhea and also to determine the risk factors associated with the development of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in children. So, this clinical study was carried to evaluate childrens who developed diarrhea during hospitalization in Children’s hospital, Ain shams university. Fifty patients suffering from diarrhea, admitted in Ain Shams Pediatric Hospital over a period of 8 months (April - November, 2013) were enrolled in the study. Thirty were males (60%) and twenty (40%) were females. Their age ranged from 1 months up to 10 years with median 11.5 (4.8-21.3) months. All patients have undergone medical history taking, with special emphasis on full analysis of the diarrhea (consistency, presence blood or mucus, onset after admission(days), frequency(motion/day), duration ), fever, Associated gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting, anorexia, dyspepsia