Clostridium difficile-related disease: evaluation and prevalence among inpatients with diarrhea in two freestanding rehabilitation hospitals.

Clostridium difficile has been associated with diarrhea in hospitalized patients receiving antibiotic therapy, and may be nosocomially acquired. Rehabilitation hospital inpatients may require frequent antibiotic intervention and are thus at risk, though few reports of epidemics at such centers have been published. This study describes the evaluation and prevalence of C difficile-related disease, among rehabilitation hospital inpatients. A retrospective review was conducted of all diarrhea evaluations performed among inpatients in two freestanding rehabilitation hospitals over a two-year period. A total of 303 laboratory tests were performed among the 115 patients evaluated. C difficile was determined to be the etiologic agent of diarrhea in 25% of patients undergoing enteric evaluation, and in 39% of patients specifically assayed for C difficile toxin B. Giardiasis was detected in one patient, and no evidence of Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, or Yersinia infection was found. The estimated prevalences for diarrhea and C difficile-related disease were 3.7% and 1.1%, respectively. Thus, C difficile is an important cause of diarrhea among rehabilitation hospital inpatients, though its true prevalence may be underestimated due to inadequate diagnostic evaluation. Enteric bacterial pathogens such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, and Giardia are insignificant causes of diarrhea among these patients. Elimination of routine testing for these pathogens would reduce costs without compromising diagnostic utility. Diagnostic evaluation should include C difficile toxin assay, and if positive, appropriate therapy instituted.