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Source: http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2.../18849481.html
Hospitals speed C.diff detection
By JOHN MINER, The London Free Press
Last Updated: October 19, 2011 5:11pm
A test that can detect the potentially deadly C. difficile bacteria within hours instead of days will be introduced in London hospitals within the next couple of weeks.
The change means hospitals will be able to react faster to an outbreak and reduce the risk of the bacteria spreading, said Dr. Michael John, medical director of infection prevention and control at London Health Sciences Centre.
"It enables us to act earlier, get patients isolated, put special cleaning that we do in the rooms, and get them on treatment," he said.
More than 100 patients have been infected with the antibiotic resistant C.
difficile in London hospitals this year and at least five patients died with the disease.
In the Niagara, C. difficile has been blamed for more than 20 deaths deaths this year.
About half the cases at London's hospitals have been the virulent strain of C. difficile first detected in Quebec, John said. The outbreak there killed 2,000 people in 2003.
The latest C. difficile outbreak in London was declared over at University Hospital on Wednesday...
Hospitals speed C.diff detection
By JOHN MINER, The London Free Press
Last Updated: October 19, 2011 5:11pm
A test that can detect the potentially deadly C. difficile bacteria within hours instead of days will be introduced in London hospitals within the next couple of weeks.
The change means hospitals will be able to react faster to an outbreak and reduce the risk of the bacteria spreading, said Dr. Michael John, medical director of infection prevention and control at London Health Sciences Centre.
"It enables us to act earlier, get patients isolated, put special cleaning that we do in the rooms, and get them on treatment," he said.
More than 100 patients have been infected with the antibiotic resistant C.
difficile in London hospitals this year and at least five patients died with the disease.
In the Niagara, C. difficile has been blamed for more than 20 deaths deaths this year.
About half the cases at London's hospitals have been the virulent strain of C. difficile first detected in Quebec, John said. The outbreak there killed 2,000 people in 2003.
The latest C. difficile outbreak in London was declared over at University Hospital on Wednesday...