Targeted Strategy Shown To Reduce C. diff Infection Rates

Targeted strategy does a good job of reducing C. difficile infection rates in faculties, according to Healio.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Quality Improvement Organizations program tested the targeted assessment for prevention strategies in Florida hospitals with the hope of developing ways to prevent hospital-onset C. difficile infections. The study, whose findings were published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, found that monthly reports of C. diff infections rates were higher before these tests were conducted and continued to decline as they continued.

According to the CDC, targeted assessment for prevention strategy is a framework created to use data in an effort to prevent healthcare associated infections. 

Researchers say that the study was limited in some ways because the framework for it was created with the goal of infection prevention in mind, not with the goal of studying how the strategy impacted infections. Still, the researchers say the study proves that C. diff infections can be reduced by implementing a targeted assessment for prevention strategy and that the study itself can help guide other targeted prevention practices.

Getting rid of C.diff is a top priority for many in the healthcare sector, and it's easy to see why. C.diff causes serious diarrhea and sometimes colon inflammation that can cause death. The infection spreads very easily. In fact, a recent study by the American Society for Microbiology found that surgical gowns and stainless steel appliances remain contaminated with C. diff event after being disinfected.