C. diff guidelines must change, ECDC says

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has called for the review of existing guidelines for the control of Clostridium difficile, due to outbreaks in the European Union of a new hyper-virulent strain (PCR ribotype 027) of the disease. A group of scientists advising the European agency suggest that a combination of "rigorous control measures with the appropriate use of antibiotics" may be effective.

Zsuzsanna Jakab, the ECDC's Director said: "the report on infection control measures to limit the spread of Clostridium difficile was stimulated by the increased incidence of C. difficile in multiple institutions and countries across Europe." She added that the agency "is currently financing a pan-European surveillance study to estimate the incidence of hospital- and community-acquired C. difficile." Results of the study are expected next year.