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Clostridium difficile infections among hospitalized children, United States, 1997-2006

Marya D Zilberberg1, Glenn S Tillotson, Clifford McDonald

  • 1University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA. marya@evimedgroup.org

Emerging Infectious Diseases
|March 31, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) hospitalizations are rising in the U.S. Rates increased significantly from 1997 to 2006, particularly in infants and young children, highlighting an urgent need for further research.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Hospital epidemiology
  • Public health surveillance

Background:

  • Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections.
  • Pediatric CDI rates have been a growing concern, necessitating a closer examination of trends.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the annual rate of pediatric hospitalizations with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in the United States from 1997 to 2006.
  • To identify age-specific incidence patterns of pediatric CDI hospitalizations.

Main Methods:

  • Time-series analysis of the Kids' Inpatient Database (1997-2006).
  • Cross-sectional analysis using the National Hospital Discharge Survey (2006).
  • Utilized International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, clinical modification code 008.45 for CDI identification.

Main Results:

  • The overall rate of pediatric CDI hospitalizations increased from 7.24 to 12.80 cases per 10,000 hospitalizations between 1997 and 2006.
  • Incidence varied significantly by age group, with the highest rates observed in children aged 1-4 years (44.87), followed by those aged 5-9 years (35.27).
  • Infants under 1 year, excluding newborns, showed a high incidence rate (32.01), contrasting with newborns (0.5).

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric CDI-related hospitalizations demonstrate an increasing trend.
  • There is an urgent need for a deeper understanding of the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of CDI in pediatric populations.
  • Age-specific data reveal critical vulnerabilities in younger children, warranting targeted prevention and management strategies.

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