Guidelines on tackling the hospital bug Clostridium difficile (C diff) should be reviewed following epidemics linked to a “new hyper-virulent strain”, a European watchdog said today.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) called for existing guidelines to be reviewed.
It said there had been outbreaks in nine countries including Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Finland, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
The strain has also been detected in Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Spain and Sweden, and in Scotland, it said.
An outbreak of Clostridium difficile at Galway's University College Hospital earlier this year was a contributory factor in a number of patient deaths.
The outbreak occurred in January and predominantly affected one medical ward for the elderly.
In all, 22 cases of infection with the superbug were confirmed and 11 of them were on one 19-bed ward.
Most had the virulent and highly transmissible 027 strain of the infection.
Zsuzsanna Jakab, ECDC’s director, said today’s European study followed the increased incidence of C diff across Europe.
“ECDC has recognised this emerging new disease and undertaken several actions to inform all EU member states,” she said.
The report recommends that all EU member states are aware of C diff in healthcare facilities, and pay particular attention to the PCR ribotype 027 strain.
“Evidence-based guidelines to prevent the spread of C diff should combine early diagnosis, surveillance, education of staff, appropriate isolation precautions, hand hygiene, use of protective clothing, environmental cleaning and cleaning of medical equipment, good antibiotic stewardship, and specific measures during outbreaks,” it said.
C diff is present in the gut of 3 per cent of healthy adults without causing disease.
However, it is the leading cause of diarrhoea in hospitals, and is linked to the use of antibiotics, particularly affecting elderly patients whose systems are often compromised.