Hospital bugs..how serious are they

can anyone tell me what D-Ciff is plz all i no its a hospital bug and my nan who is in hospital keeps getting it...nurses and docs are saying its nothing to worry about but stopped rest of elderly reletives from visiting her

can anyone tell me what D-Ciff is plz all i no its a hospital bug and my nan who is in hospital keeps getting it...nurses and docs are saying its nothing to worry about but stopped rest of elderly reletives from visiting her

Its what hoodies call the cleaning products 'It's De Cif!! innit!'

The bacterium the hospital are going on about is actually Clostridium difficile (shortened to C.diff) which causes very severe symptoms of gastroenteritis, which is dangerous to vulnerable health groups.

The major reason for the growth in C.diff is that the alcohol hand gels that have been brought in to kill MRSA and SSRA are ineffective against it, and so the way to kill both MRSA and C.diff (to be on the safe side) is to scrub your hands with detergent or soap and then use the alcohol rubs. It takes a lot more time, but it's safer.

C difficile is an opportunistic bacterium- it's around in the environment most of the time in low numbers, but in environments like hospitals where the aim is to keep everything clean to prevent infections, bacteria like C difficile can grow unchecked. It's also unaffected by many antibiotics so patients who have their natural flora affected by courses of antibiotics are more at risk of opportunist bacteria.

It's true to say that many of the infections that flourish inside hospitals have to have been brought in somehow, and whilst the infections brought in with patients may not be avoided, those brought in by visitors most certainly can be avoided, by preventing the visitors if hygiene methods fail.

I understand that this is not necessarily best for the patients mentally and emotionally- but if they are being made ill whilst they are vulnerable by bacteria coming in on visitors, that needs to be a priority.

There is, of course, another possible reason for stopping elderly relatives visiting- it could be to prevent the C diff from being spread to the visitors who may also be vunerable.

Cdif is nasty, very nasty. It has been going on nfor a while in hospitals but only recently been getting media attention. If you get it you get your own room, that's the only good thing about it.

thanx for the info...not sure if its gud or bad tho..would explain y she in a room on her own tho we always use the hand gel wen we see her jus have to b more dilligent...i bought her some yakult today wondered if that wud help

The hand gel is totally ineffective against C diff, so you really need to be using soap, hot water and a nail brush if you want to eradicate it off your skin.

Replacing good flora is one of the more helpful things that can happen for her- so the Yakult sounds like a sensible plan.

C difficile is an opportunistic bacterium- it's around in the environment most of the time in low numbers, but in environments like hospitals where the aim is to keep everything clean to prevent infections, bacteria like C difficile can grow unchecked.

Can you explain this a bit more, medusa?

I havn't heard of the problem in private (BUPA) hospitals - why is that?

thats a v.gud question is it only national health hospitals that seem have these serious bugs..or are private more stritch with their cleaning regime

I havn't heard of the problem in private (BUPA) hospitals - why is that?

because most bugs live on the poor:gag:

thats a v.gud question is it only national health hospitals that seem have these serious bugs..or are private more stritch with their cleaning regime

Private hospitals probably have lower bed occupancy rates. A downside of the drive to get waiting lists down is that NHS wards have had high occupancy and high turnover of patients: circumstances which are not conducive to combating infections.

There have been cases of superbugs in private hospitals as well, but not as many.