Health
Antibiotics and C. dif link
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 1, 2008
A survey based on one-day snapshots taken between May and August at 648 hospitals in 47 states showed that 13 of every 1,000 hospitalized patients tested positive for Clostridium difficile. Among them, nearly 80% had taken an antibiotic before the onset of disease and more than half were already infected at admission.
The survey results were released at a meeting of the Assn. for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology Inc., in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 11.
In a separate development, a promising new antibiotic now in phase III clinical trials is offering hope that another effective drug to fight the bacteria could be available soon. In tests so far, the new drug has outperformed another leading antibiotic in successfully treating patients with C. diff.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/12/01/hlbf1201.htm.
