Clostridium difficile is a bacteria that can be found in the bowel of healthy and unwell people.Approximately 3% of the population have harmless clostridium difficile in their bowel.
Clostridium difficile can become harmful when present in large numbers. This usually happens when someone has taken antibiotics to treat another illness.
Some antibiotics can disturb the normal balance of bacteria in the gut, allowing clostridium difficile to multiply.
Clostridium difficile produces toxins which affect the lining of the bowel, causing symptoms of diarrhoea. A diagnosis is confirmed by sending a stool sample to the laboratory for analysis.
If clostridium difficile is diagnosed, any antibiotics you are currently taking may have to be stopped and a specific antibiotic active against clostridium difficile will be prescribed to treat the infection.
It is very important to try and avoid becoming dehydrated, so you need to drink plenty of fluids.
A person is at an increased risk of getting clostridium difficile if they are taking or have recently taken certain antibiotics.
Clostridium difficile produces spores which can live in the environment for a long time. These can be found on equipment, furniture, or furnishings.
A person may get clostridium difficile by ingesting the bacteria through contact with the contaminated environment.
As the spores live on surfaces, the risk of infection increases when people have diarrhoea, which can then be spread from person to person through poor hygiene, for example, through failing to wash hands correctly after using the toilet or after handling contaminated food.
You can help prevent the spread of infection by ensuring that you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water (in this instance alcohol hand rub is not effective) after using the bathroom, before preparing and eating food and when visiting hospitals and care homes.
If you are a patient, in order to protect yourself and other patients please tell your nurse or doctor if you have experienced any symptoms of diarrhoea. They can then provide you with a specimen pot to use the next time you have diarrhoea and can follow correct precautions, such as putting you in an isolated room.
If you have been diagnosed with clostridium difficile, to help prevent the spread of infection it is important to wash all clothing, towels, sheets and bedding separately in the washing machine on the hottest cycle possible. You must also clean toilet seats, toilet bowls, taps and hand basins with hot water and general-purpose detergent after use.
When you are prescribed antibiotics to treat clostridium difficile, it is important that the entire course of antibiotics is completed as directed even if the diarrhoea has stopped, otherwise there is a risk that symptoms may re-occur.
If you experience any difficulty with taking the antibiotics, it is important that you inform your doctor as soon as possible. The same applies if you continue to have diarrhoea either during or after you have completed your course of antibiotics.
We recognise the importance of keeping the environment clean and our domestic staff are dedicated to providing and maintaining a high standard of cleanliness, which is monitored regularly by our clinical staff.
When patients are in isolation for infection control reasons, the domestic staff will perform rigorous cleaning of the isolation room to ensure a high standard of cleanliness and preventthe spread of infection.
Do not visit the hospital if you have diarrhoea or have had diarrhoea during the past 48 hours.
If you are visiting a patient or relative who is being nursed in an isolation room, the nursing staff will provide you with guidance as to the correct method of hand hygiene using soap and water, assisting you with the use of aprons or gloves if required. Do not sit or lie on the patient’s bed.
Review date: 2026