Also in June:
NHSG/109/09
June 30, 2009
Currently there are five patients on Ward 13 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with C. difficile, reflecting a recurrence of the infection in one of the patients. This is not uncommon.
The clinical condition of the five patients continues to be closely monitored.
Ward 13 continues not to admit new patients. There are now ten patients on the ward.
Updated figures will be issued on Thursday, July 2nd, following the meeting of the outbreak control team.
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a bacterium that causes diarrhoea and more serious intestinal conditions such as colitis. It is found in around one in fifty healthy adults who carry the bug without showing any symptoms. People who have other illnesses or conditions requiring prolonged use of antibiotics and the elderly are more likely to show symptoms.
NHS Grampian's infection control team consists of eight full time infection control nurses, two surveillance nurses, two antibiotic pharmacists and a prescribing data analyst.