[Clostridium difficile infection. The nosocomial aspect].

Clostridium difficile infection is discussed relatively rarely as a nosocomial problem in Norway. Epidemiological studies have shown Clostridium difficile diarrhoea to be frequently an antibiotica-associated nosocomial disease. We describe a material consisting of 22 patients with Clostridium difficile infection from a county hospital in Norway. The inclusion criteria were a clinical disease with diarrhoea and a positive test for Clostridium difficile toxin A and/or B in the faeces. 11 patients were or had been hospitalized for a short period in one specific medical ward when diagnosed. These and five other patients probably had a hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection. We discuss the nosocomial aspect and the clinical characteristics of the disease in our material.