Clostridium difficle infection (CDI) in adults is associated with increased morbidity, additional length of hospital stay and an increase in healthcare costs. The available literature suggests that the prevalence of CDI is ranging between 4%- 34% across various centers in India.
In a recent study from a tertiary care centre in Mumbai, the mean incidence of CDI was estimated to be 0.2/1000 patient days.
The increasing prevalence is related to the increasing use of antibiotics across specialities.
Management and prevention of CDI require an early suspicion, rapid and accurate diagnosis and measures for appropriate use of antibiotics.
Antimicrobial stewardship programmes need to be emphasized for reducing incidence and morbidity associated with CDI.