Study: CDAD infection rates on the rise

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April 30, 2008

Rates of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) are on the rise as a new study shows that the number of U.S. hospital patients with CDAD doubled from 2001 to 2005. A new study from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (part of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) says that this rate is much larger than the previous assessment, which showed a 75% increase in the previous eight years.

CDAD generally affects patients over the age of 65, and it is not known from this study whether those patients found to have CDAD contracted it within the hospital setting, or acquired it in the community setting. The study also found that the region with the highest infection rate was the Northeast.

To read the results of the study, click here.