Guelph General Hospital (GGH) is on heightened awareness due to a higher-than-average number of patients who appear to have got Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) while in Hospital. Normally at GGH, 1 or 2 cases a month are reported. In the month of May, there were 7 cases.

“Like all hospitals across the province and around the world, C. difficile presents an ongoing, serious challenge for GGH. We must all be vigilant,” says Eileen Bain, VP Patient Services and Chief Nursing Executive.
 
C. difficile causes diarrhea and is one of the most common infections in hospitals and long-term care facilities. People most at risk after exposure are typically of advanced age, with underlying illnesses, who are also taking antibiotics. Antibiotics kill off the “healthy” bacteria in the bowel which allows C. difficile to flourish and cause illness.
 
Although some may associate it with healthcare settings, C. difficile is widely distributed in the community occurring naturally in 3-5 per cent of adults (more commonly in the elderly) without causing symptoms.
 
To help protect its patients, visitors, staff and volunteers, GGH is heightening its infection control efforts. Hand hygiene audits are being conducted this week to promote its importance and measure how well staff are being vigilant. Hand-cleaning alcohol dispensers in public areas are being closely monitored to make sure they’re well stocked and in good working order.
 
In addition, environmental cleaning at the Hospital has recently been improved by changing over to new, more effective cleaning products.
 
“Although we haven’t been officially declared as being in an outbreak, we conducting ourselves as if we were,” Bain says. “We sincerely appreciate the impact this has on our patients and their families as well as our healthcare providers.”