ASID/ACIPC position statement - Infection control for patients with Clostridium difficile infection in healthcare facilities

Rhonda L Stuart; Caroline Marshall; Glenys Harrington; Louisa Sasko; Mary-Louise McLaws; John Ferguson

doi:10.1016/j.idh.2018.10.001

ASID/ACIPC position statement - Infection control for patients with Clostridium difficile infection in healthcare facilities

Infect Dis Health. 2019 Feb;24(1):32-43. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2018.10.001. Epub 2018 Nov 17.

Authors

Rhonda L Stuart¹, Caroline Marshall², Glenys Harrington³, Louisa Sasko⁴, Mary-Louise McLaws⁵, John Ferguson⁶

Affiliations

¹ Monash Infectious Diseases, Monash Health and Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia. Electronic address: Rhonda.Stuart@monashhealth.org.
² Infection Prevention and Surveillance Service and Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Vic, Australia.
³ Infection Control Consultancy (ICC), Melbourne, Vic, Australia.
⁴ Infection Control and Physical Health Care, Macquarie Hospital, North Ryde, NSW, Australia; School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Epidemiology, Hospital Infection and Infectious Diseases Control, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁶ Health Pathology, NSW, Australia; Hunter New England Health, NSW, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 30691583
DOI: 10.1016/j.idh.2018.10.001

Abstract

Background: In 2011, the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) and the Australian Infection Control Association (AICA), now known as the Australasian College of Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC), produced a position statement on infection control requirements for preventing and controlling Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in healthcare settings.

Methods: The statement updated in 2017 to reflect new literature available .The authors reviewed the 2011 position statement and critically appraised new literature published between 2011 and 2017 and relevant current infection control guidelines to identify where new evidence had become available or best practice had changed.

Results: The position statement was updated incorporating the new findings. A draft version of the updated position statement was circulated for consultation to members of ASID and ACIPC. The authors responded to all comments received and updated the position statement.

Conclusions: This updated position statement emphasizes the importance of health service organizations having evidence-based infection prevention and control programs and comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship programs, to ensure the risk of C. difficile acquisition, transmission and infection is minimised.

Keywords: Clostridium difficile; Environmental cleaning; Hand hygiene; Infection prevention.

MeSH terms

Antimicrobial Stewardship
Clostridioides difficile*
Clostridium Infections / prevention & control*
Clostridium Infections / transmission
Cross Infection / prevention & control*
Disinfection
Humans
Hygiene
Infection Control / methods