There’s another outbreak of Clostridium difficile (C.diff) at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.
CKHA officials reported the outbreak Thursday, in consultation with CK Public Health. As a result, CKHA’s Medicine A Unit at the Chatham site is listed in outbreak.
The outbreak is being declared due to two cases of health-care acquired C.diff infection in the unit, officials said.
CK Public Health will work closely with CKHA to manage the outbreak and will continue to work in consultation until the outbreak is declared over. CKHA’s Medicine B Unit also remains in an active C.diff outbreak since Feb. 6.
C.diff is one of the many bacteria that can be found in feces. C.diff infection happens when antibiotics kill the good gut bacteria, which allows C.diff to multiply. When this occurs, the C.diff bacteria produces toxins that damage the gut and can cause diarrhea.
C.diff is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals and nursing homes.
As part of CKHA’s infection prevention and control guidelines, a number of additional initiatives have been implemented in response to the outbreak on the Medicine A Unit. CKHA will continue following these measures until CK Public Health rescinds the outbreak orders.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
