Clostridium difficile
Questions and Answers
What is the difference
between C. difficile
colonization and
C. difficile disease?
- C. difficile colonization occurs when you have C. difficile in your intestines
but do not suffer any symptoms.
C. difficile disease occurs when you have C. difficile in your intestines and
have diarrhea.
If I have C. difficile, can
it be spread to others?
- C. difficile is spread by stool. Any surface
that becomes contaminated with stool
may spread the disease. It can be spread
from patient to patient on the hands of
hospital staff, or from items that are used
on or by more than one person.
Why do I have to be
in isolation if I have
C. difficile disease?
- At Rhode Island Hospital, we place patients who have C. difficile disease in isolation to stop the spread
of the disease. All hospital staff must wear gowns
and gloves when they enter your room so
they will not get C. difficile on their
clothes or hands. All persons who enter
your room must wash their hands with soap and water or clean them with alcohol gel before
entering and upon leaving. All equipment
that is used for your care must stay in
your room or be cleaned before it is taken
out and used on another patient. Regular
linens and dishes are used because dishes
and linen from all patients are treated as
if they are contaminated.
Can I leave my room if I have C. difficile
disease?
- You may leave your
room for testing. If the
doctor allows you to
leave your bed and you do not
have diarrhea, you
may walk in the hall if you wash your
hands with soap and water or clean them with alcohol gel before you leave the room and you
wear a clean gown. Please do not sit in
the lounge or waiting areas.
May I have visitors if I
have C. difficile disease?
- Your family and friends may visit if you
have C. difficile disease. Your visitors
have the option of wearing gowns and
gloves, but they may not leave your room
while wearing them. Visitors may not use
your bathroom. Before they leave, visitors
must dispose of their gowns and gloves in
your room and wash their hands with
soap and water.
Can I go home if I have
C. difficile disease?
- You can go home with C difficile. Proper
hand washing and good personal hygiene
are the best ways to prevent the spread of
this germ. A diluted household bleach
solution works well for cleaning environmental
surfaces that may be contaminated
with C. difficile.
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