Clostridioides difficile toxin testing and positivity in Manitoba, Canada

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Hospital Epidemiology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a significant healthcare-associated pathogen.
• Accurate surveillance of CDI is crucial for infection control and public health.
• Understanding testing patterns and incidence is vital for resource allocation and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the Clostridioides difficile toxin testing rate in Manitoba hospitals.
• To calculate the incidence rate of Clostridioides difficile infections.
• To provide data for inter-jurisdictional comparisons of CDI surveillance.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of all patients in Manitoba hospitals from June 2016 to November 2018.
• Data collection on Clostridioides difficile toxin testing and positivity.
• Calculation of testing and incidence rates per 10,000 patient bed days.

Main Results:

• The Clostridioides difficile toxin testing rate was 30 per 10,000 patient bed days (95% CI, 30-31).
• The incidence rate of Clostridioides difficile infection was 3.5 per 10,000 patient bed days (95% CI, 3.3-3.7).
• Significant variation in testing context exists among different healthcare settings.

Conclusions:

• Hospital-based Clostridioides difficile testing rates and infection incidence were quantified in Manitoba.
• The findings highlight the importance of considering testing context when interpreting CDI surveillance data.
• Standardized reporting and interpretation guidelines are needed for accurate epidemiological assessments.