Certain preventive measures can be performed in hospitals, other health care facilities, and elsewhere to help prevent the spread of C diff. Preventive measures include the following:
Proper hand-washing and patient contact: Good hand-washing hygiene before handling patients should be practiced by all health care workers. Using soap and warm water is the best way for health care workers, patients, and visitors to help control CDI. In addition, patients hospitalized with CDI should have a private room or share a room with someone with the same infection. Hospital staff, as well as visitors, should wear disposable gloves and isolation gowns while in the patient’s room.
Cleaning and disinfection: All surfaces should be carefully disinfected with 10% chlorine bleach since C diff spores will not survive bleach but can survive other non-chlorine cleaning products.
Unnecessary use of antibiotics: Overuse and unnecessary use of antibiotics should be avoided if possible. If needed, attempt to use an antibiotic with a more narrow-spectrum and for the shortest time frame as possible. Avoiding the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is one of the key measures to help prevent CDIs.
