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Healthcare provider diagnostic testing practices for identification of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile in children: an Emerging Infections Network survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2019

Larry K. Kociolek*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois Division of Infectious Diseases, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Preeta K. Kutty
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Philip M. Polgreen
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa Emerging Infections Network, Iowa City, Iowa
Susan E. Beekmann
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa Emerging Infections Network, Iowa City, Iowa
*
Author for correspondence: Larry K. Kociolek, Email: [email protected]

Abstract

Objective:

To characterize healthcare provider diagnostic testing practices for identifying Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) and asymptomatic carriage in children.

Design:

Electronic survey.

Methods:

An 11-question survey was sent by e-mail or facsimile to all pediatric infectious diseases (PID) members of the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s Emerging Infections Network (EIN).

Results:

Among 345 eligible respondents who had ever responded to an EIN survey, 196 (57%) responded; 162 of these (83%) were aware of their institutional policies for CDI testing and management. Also, 159 (98%) respondents knew their institution’s C. difficile testing method: 99 (62%) utilize NAAT without toxin testing and 60 (38%) utilize toxin testing, either as a single test or a multistep algorithm. Of 153 respondents, 10 (7%) reported that formed stools were tested for C. difficile at their institution, and 76 of 151 (50%) reported that their institution does not restrict C. difficile testing in infants and young children. The frequency of symptom- and age-based testing restrictions did not vary between institutions utilizing NAAT alone compared to those utilizing toxin testing for C. difficile diagnosis. Of 143 respondents, 26 (16%) permit testing of neonatal intensive care unit patients and 12 of 26 (46%) treat CDI with antibiotics in this patient population.

Conclusions:

These data suggest that there are opportunities to improve CDI diagnostic stewardship practices in children, including among hospitals using NAATs alone for CDI diagnosis in children.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
© 2019 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved. 

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