From the desk of Beth Battaglino, RN, CEO of HealthyWomen
C.diff the infection is commonly acquired and can be fatal. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to be knowledgeable. In fact, the best way is to wash your hands properly with soap and warm water (alcohol-based hand sanitizers won’t do the job!) – but knowledge is the first step to fight against C.diff infection.
When we say C.diffwe are talking about Clostridioides difficilea bacteria that can cause colitis, an inflammation of the colon, which triggers symptoms such as severe stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea that last for more than three days. However, this is not a typical stomach problem: it can be life-threatening, sometimes leading to hospitalization or even death.
As a nurse, I know all too well how C.diff infections can be. There is almost half a million case and as much as 30,000 deaths reported each yearputting C.diff in the category of infections considered urgent threats to public health by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, once you have one C.diff infection, your chances of getting another one increase each time you get it, creating a recurring infection. C.diff infectious cycle.
I know, ladies, we already have so much to juggle in our lives and we really don’t need to deal with one more thing. But women play an important role in stopping the spread of C.diffnot only because we are more likely to get it, but also because we are often the decision makers and enforcers of health care within our families.
So it’s worth taking a few minutes of your time to find out more C.diff and how to protect yourself and your loved ones from recurring infections.
Read: What is C.diff? What you need to know about this deadly infection >>
And remember, if you have symptoms such as severe abdominal pain or cramping, a new fever, three or more loose stools per day, or blood in your stool, don’t ignore them and contact your doctor.
In good health,
Beth Battaglino
This educational resource was created with the support of Ferring Pharmaceuticals USA.
