Epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection in hospitalized oncology patients

Gina Y Chang; Louise M Dembry; David B Banach

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2016.04.210

Epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection in hospitalized oncology patients

Am J Infect Control. 2016 Nov 1;44(11):1408-1410. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.04.210. Epub 2016 Jun 7.

Authors

Gina Y Chang¹, Louise M Dembry², David B Banach³

Affiliations

¹ Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT; Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
² Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
³ Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT. Electronic address: dbanach@uchc.edu.

PMID: 27287733
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.04.210

Abstract

The epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) among oncology inpatients is poorly understood. In multivariate analysis we identified age, history of CDI, and prior receipt of cephalosporins, β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors, metronidazole, and blood transfusion as risk factors associated with CDI. Reducing broad-spectrum antibiotic use, particularly among older patients and those with a CDI history and recent blood transfusions, may decrease CDI risk in this population.

Keywords: Clostridium difficile; epidemiology; oncology.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Case-Control Studies
Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification*
Clostridium Infections / epidemiology*
Clostridium Infections / microbiology
Female
Hospitalization*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms / complications*
Risk Factors