Clostridium difficile is a common presence in European hospitals, according to research from Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
Dr. Ed Kuijper, a microbiologist, and Dr. Martijn Bauer, an infectiologist at LUMC, note that Clostridium difficile infections appear to be increasing across Europe.
This bacterium causes severe diarrhea and poses life-threatening risks, especially to already weakened patients. Heightened hospital awareness may contribute, enabling earlier detection of cases.
Strategies for combating the bacteria vary widely by country, leading to significant differences in patient outcomes.
