Universal glove use, extended isolation under consideration
Core and supplement infection control strategies for Clostridium difficile discussed recently in Atlanta at the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections included the following:
Core prevention strategies:
- Contact precautions for duration of diarrhea
- Hand hygiene in compliance with CDC/WHO
- Cleaning and disinfection of equipment and environment
- Laboratory-based alert system for immediate notification of positive test results
- C. diff education for health care workers, housekeeping, administration, patients and families.
Supplemental prevention strategies:
- Extend use of contact precautions beyond duration of diarrhea (e.g., 48 hours)*
- Presumptive isolation for symptomatic patients pending confirmation of C. diff infection (CDI)
- Evaluate and optimize testing for CDI
- Implement soap and water for hand hygiene before exiting room of a patient with CDI
- Implement universal glove use on units with high CDI rates*
- Use sodium hypochlorite (bleach) –containing agents for environmental cleaning
- Implement an antimicrobial stewardship program
* Not included in the CDC/HICPAC 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions
Core and supplement infection control strategies for Clostridium difficile discussed recently in Atlanta at the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections included the following:Article Limit Reached
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