cdiffdiscuss.org

I was diagnosed with c diff on October 25th after a course of clindamycin for cellulitis. I finished my ten-day course of vancomycin on November 4th and have just now started to feel like I beat the infection and I feel like I have my anxiety under control. I work as a therapist at a pediatric day treatment facility. My patients are birth through age six. When I walked in today, I was informed that one of my patients (who is still in diapers) has c diff. I have been voicing my concerns about her BMs for a couple of months. This child is constantly on antibiotics for something (URIs, UTIs, strep, ear infections, etc.), but finally got a diagnosis last week. He is absent today, but I am concerned about his return. I do not feel that anyone is taking me seriously when I stress how long spores can live on surfaces. I am not even going to go in the room where this child is during the day, because I do not feel that it has been properly cleaned. I already plan on taking my shoes off and bleaching the bottoms before I walk in my house today. How concerned should I be about reinfection? I know that it takes a while to rebuild all of the good stuff in my gut. I wash my hands constantly and clean my work area and bathroom every day. Just when I was beginning to feel like I had my life back, this happens! I may need some meds for anxiety!

I understand your concern. If it were me, I would go to admin and explain how ill you were and ask not to work with any patient that has been diagnosed with CDIFF due to your recent battle with it.
We have several nurses on the site that have gone back to work and have written about their concerns but I am not sure if they have started working with CDIFF patients or not.
I personally would not, I work in a hospital and it is all around me, I take every precaution but do not personally work with patients CDIFF positive.

It is a very individual thing, some have jumped right back in. You have to do what is right for you

Take Care

NanciT

Hi slplkaye!

What a nightmare! I can see why you have anxiety over this!

But first... congrats on being C-diff free since Nov 4th after a course of Vancomycin! Nice! At least you know that you respond very well to treatment!

Your management would have to take you seriously if there is an outbreak of C-diff among your young patients! Everyone in the facility is at risk including visitors, parents, etc.

At least was care taken when handling the child's diaper? Was it thrown away?

I'd also be worried about the Health Department shutting the place down unless real serious cleaning and prevention procedures are implemented.

Seems like you are doing everything that you can to protect yourself! Sorry about your high anxiety levels. I would feel the same way as you, but only worse!

Regards, Bob

In a hospital when a patient has c difficile, they are in isolation in a room by themselves and any personnel that enter have to gown up. I agree that you should speak to the administration. Even though this is not a hospital, some measures should be taken to protect you.

I've been treated preventatively for cellulitis in the past, as I have lymphedema in one of my arms and have had symptoms of infection at times. (Thankfully, not for quite a few years.) I was always given Keflex, which, though a wide-spectrum antibiotic like clindamycin, does not trigger C. diff as often. Clindamycin is the top-offending antibiotic for C. diff; it's how I contracted C. diff, and how many others on the site did as well.

Recently I had a consult with an infectious disease doctor, who suggested there might be a less risky antibiotic for cellullitis treatment/prevention even than Keflex in the event of future need of one. However, I don't remember what it was. Since I don't know if your cellulitis was related to a chronic condition like lymphedema or an isolated event, this may not be relevant to your situation.

Meanwhile, I hope you'll fill out an Adverse Event form on the FDA site about your experience with clindamycin. You can access the form via the link below my post.

Best of luck with the work situation. I agree with the others that the facility owes you and its patients better protection.