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Updated: Jan 11, 2026
Cefoperazone-treated Mouse Model of Clinically-relevant Clostridium difficile Strain R20291
Published on: December 10, 2016
Demographic and regional trends in Clostridioides difficile-related mortality among adults in the United States from
Khadija Mohib1, Fatima Hussain2, Bilal Ali3
1Division of Internal Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
Background:
Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of health care-associated infections and a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality in the United States. This study examines demographic and geographic trends in C difficile--related mortality from 1999 to 2023.
Methods:
We used the CDC WONDER database to analyze C difficile--related deaths among individuals aged ≥ 15 years. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 population were calculated, and Joinpoint regression was used to assess annual percentage changes across subgroups by sex, race/ethnicity, region, and urbanization.
Results:
From 1999 to 2023, AAMR increased from 0.72 to 2.17, peaking at 4.78. Men consistently had slightly higher AAMRs than women. In 2023, non-Hispanic Whites had the highest AAMR (2.29), whereas non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islanders had the lowest (0.87). The Northeast had the highest AAMR (3.57), and mortality was highest in small and nonmetropolitan areas.
Discussion:
Despite recent declines, C difficile--related mortality remains elevated with persistent disparities by sex, race, and geography. These patterns likely reflect differences in health care access, infrastructure, and underlying comorbidities.
Conclusions:
Findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions to reduce mortality and address disparities in C difficile outcomes.
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