NEW YORK (August 29, 2016) - Household transmission of Clostridium difficile to pets and children may be a source of community-associated C. difficile infections according to findings from a new study published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The study found that patients with this bacteria can colonize or infect household contacts following or during treatment for an infection.
"C. difficile is primarily a healthcare-associated infection, but we now know that it can spread beyond the hospital," said Vivian Loo, MD, MSc, a lead author of the study and an infectious disease specialist and medical microbiologist at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), investigator at the Research Institute of the MUHC, and professor at McGill University. "These infections, causing diarrhea and inflammation of the colon, can be serious, so it is important that everyone follows simple hygienic practices, like hand washing with soap and water, even in your own home."
The prospective study included 51 patients treated for C. difficile infection in hospital or outpatient settings, along with members of their households, and pets. Researchers visited each household monthly, collecting stool samples or rectal swabs at each visit. The samples were tested for C. difficile, to determine whether those who tested negative for the bacterium initially eventually became infected or colonized. Colonized individuals with C. difficile have the bacteria present in their stool, but without diarrhea.
The results revealed 13.4 percent of the 67 human household contacts had C. difficile isolated from their stool or rectal samples. One adult household member had diarrhea and the remaining 8 were asymptomatically colonized. Sixty-six percent of those colonized were younger than five years old, including five in diapers.
More than a quarter (26.7 percent) of the 15 domestic pets were asymptomatic carriers of the bacterium, as well. When analyzing the bacteria strains from pets, researchers found that the strains carried by the pets and by their human contacts were indistinguishable or closely related, suggesting interspecies transmission. The study concluded that pets can be reservoirs for re-infection or transmission of C. difficile within the household.
"Our research suggests that household transmission from patients with C. difficile infection could be responsible for a bacterial reservoir for community-associated cases," said Loo.
###
Vivian Loo, Paul Brassard, Mark Miller. "Household Transmission of Clostridium difficile to Family Members and Domestic Pets." Web (August 8, 2016).
About ICHE
Published through a partnership between the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and Cambridge University Press, Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology provides original, peer reviewed scientific articles for anyone involved with an infection control or epidemiology program in a hospital or healthcare facility. ICHE is ranked 13th out of 158 journals in its discipline in the latest Web of Knowledge Journal Citation Reports from Thomson Reuters.
SHEA is a professional society representing physicians and other healthcare professionals around the world with expertise and passion in healthcare epidemiology, infection prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship. SHEA's mission is to prevent and control healthcare-associated infections, improve the use of antibiotics in healthcare settings, and advance the field of healthcare epidemiology. SHEA improves patient care and healthcare worker safety in all healthcare settings through the critical contributions of healthcare epidemiology and improved antibiotic use. The society leads this specialty by promoting science and research, advocating for effective policies, providing high-quality education and training, and developing appropriate guidelines and guidance in practice. Visit SHEA online at http://www.shea-online.org, http://www.facebook.com/SHEApreventingHAIs and @SHEA_Epi
About Cambridge Journals
Cambridge University Press publishes over 350 peer-reviewed academic journals across a wide spread of subject areas, in print and online. Many of these journals are leading academic publications in their fields and together form one of the most valuable and comprehensive bodies of research available today.
For further information about Cambridge Journals, visit journals.cambridge.org
About Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge. It furthers the University's mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence.
Its extensive peer-reviewed publishing lists comprise 45,000 titles covering academic research, professional development, over 350 research journals, school-level education, English language teaching and bible publishing.
Playing a leading role in today's international market place, Cambridge University Press has more than 50 offices around the globe, and it distributes its products to nearly every country in the world.
For further information about Cambridge University Press, visit cambridge.org
Journal
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology