Cleanliness in Long-Term Care Facilities and Clostridium difficile Infection

Clostridium difficile in long-term-care facilities for the elderly.

Antimicrobial agents are among the most frequently prescribed medications in long-term-care facilities (LTCFs). Therefore, it is not surprising that Clostridium difficile colonization and C. difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) occur commonly in elderly LTCF residents. C. difficile has been identified as the most common cause of non-epidemic acute diarrheal illness in nursing homes, and outbrea...

Prevalence and impact of Clostridium difficile infection in elderly residents of long-term care facilities, 2011

The elderly population is particularly vulnerable to Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), but the epidemiology of CDI in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is unknown.We performed a retrospective cohort study and used US 2011 LTCF resident data from the Minimum Data Set 3.0 linked to Medicare claims. We extracted CDI cases based on International Classification of Diseases-9 coding, and compare...

Declining Rates of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) in Veterans Affairs (VA) Long-term Care Facilities (LTCF)

Infection control in long-term-care facilities.

Although patients in long-term-care facilities are at increased risk of infection, little is known about how to practice infection control in this setting. This article reviews risk factors for infection, the components of an infection control program, and particular infections that are important in long-term-care facilities. In addition, special characteristics of long-term-care facilities tha...

Infection Control in Long-Term Care Facilities

Infections are common in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and lead to increased morbidity and mortality among LTCF residents. On average, LTCF residents will have one or more infections requiring antibiotic therapy during a year and residents with presumed infections account for one quarter of all hospital transfers from LTCFs. For medical directors, infection control programs in LTCFs need to...