Epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infections in Australia: Enhanced surveillance to evaluate time trends and severity of illness in Victoria, 2010-2014

Abstract

Background: With epidemic strains of Clostridium difficile posing a substantial healthcare burden internationally, there is a need for longitudinal evaluation of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) events in Australia. Aim: To evaluate time trends and severity of illness for CDI events in Australian healthcare facilities. Methods: All CDI events in patients admitted to Victorian public hospitals between 1st October 2010 and 31st December 2014 were reported to the Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance System. CDI was defined as the isolation of a toxin-producing C. difficile organism in a diarrhoeal specimen, and classified as community-associated (CA-CDI) or healthcare-ass..