Epidemiology of community-onset Clostridium difficile infection in a community in the south of England

Clostridium difficile infection [CDI] has traditionally been considered a hospital acquired infection but there are a rising number of infections in the community. This study estimates the prevalence of community-onset CDI [CO-CDI], defined as onset of symptoms in a community setting and outside the hospital, and examines the risk factors for CO-CDI in 2-64 year-olds. A standard questionnaire was used to retrospectively obtain information on the CDI risk factors of 58 cases of CO-CDI diagnosed between 1st April 2008 and 31st March 2009 in a community in the South of England. Each case was reviewed for the presence of 'established' risk factors for CDI, i.e., age >/= 65 years, in-patient hospital stay, and recent [within