Prevalence Asymptomatic Carriage Clostridium difficile
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Prevalence asymptomatic carriage of Clostridium difficile in Birmingham Community Healthcare in-patients in community units over a two week period during 2014
IRAS ID
146298
Contact name
Kathleen Hughes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Birmingham Community Healthcare
Research summary
Current research suggests that very few cases of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) can be shown to have occurred as a result of transmission from other cases of proven Clostridium difficile infection. This implies the question: are cases of Clostridium difficile infection the result of transmission from non clinical cases of Clostridium difficile, from asymptomatic carriage of Clostridium difficile infection? This study will investigate the point prevalence symptomatic carriage of Clostridium difficile in Birmingham Community Healthcare in-patient facilities during 16 days of March 2014. The in-patient units have 412 beds. A skin swab sample and a faecal sample will be cultured and analysed for Clostridium difficile. The analysis will reveal the presence of Clostridium difficile, the genetic family of Clostridium difficile, the background microbiome of the sample and a control of microbiome of a sample already in the laboritory. A simple questionaire will be completed by the reasearcher with every participant. The results of the analysis will be compared to the answers of the questionaire to identify any associations.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/0096
Date of REC Opinion
9 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion