Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Community-Associated Clostridium difficile Infection: A Narrative Review
- Resource Type
- Review Paper
- Authors
- Bloomfield, Lauren E.; Riley, Thomas V.
- Source
- Infectious Diseases and Therapy. September 2016 5(3):231-251
- Subject
- Animal reservoir/source
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI)
Community-associated CDI
Epidemiology
Risk factors
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 2193-8229
2193-6382
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was once considered a primarily nosocomial concern. Emerging evidence from the last 20 years has highlighted a drastic shift in the known epidemiology of CDI, with disease outside of hospitals apparently occurring more frequently and causing severe disease in populations that were thought to be at low risk. This narrative review summarises potential pathways for infection outside of the hospital environment and highlights likely routes of transmission. Further, evidence is presented on potential risk factors for development of disease. Understanding the epidemiology of CDI outside of hospitals is essential to the ability to prevent and control disease in vulnerable populations.