What is C. diff?
Clostridium difficile, commonly known as C. diff, is a type of bacterium that can be found throughout the environmentopen_in_new — but is most commonly found in feces (human and animal) and food products, such as processed meats. It causes severe diarrhea and inflammation of the colon (colitis). A small number of healthy people naturally carry the bacteria in their large intestines and don’t have ill effects from the infection.
Where is it Found?
What Does it Infect?
How Does it Spread?
Preventing the Spread of C. diff
C. diff is usually spread when someone who is infected (or caring for an infected person) doesn’t clean their hands with soap and water after using the bathroom. Its spores can then spread to food, surfaces, and objects when infected people don’t wash their hands thoroughly. These spores can persist in a room for weeks or monthsopen_in_new. If you touch a surface contaminated with Clostridium difficile spores, and they get inside your body, you may become infected.
This bacteria can also live on people’s skin. People who touch an infected person’s skin can pick up the germs on their hands. According to the CDC, taking a shower with soap and water can reduce the C. diff on your skin and lessen the chance of it spreading.
Processed foodopen_in_new in the following categories has also been shown to be a source of C. diff transmission.
- Raw beef, pork, and chicken (Increased cooking times and temperaturesopen_in_new spores can inactivate the bacteria, within the range of 163–185°F for 15 minutes)
- Ready-to-eat products (deli meats and minimally processed fruits and vegetables)
- Fish and shellfish (which are often eaten raw or undercooked)
In its journal Emerging Infectious Diseasesopen_in_new, the CDC states that the source of C. difficile in retail meats may be spores in the animal’s muscle or other tissues, fecal or environmental contamination of carcasses, or contamination during processing. Spores could persist in packing plants, resulting in contamination of carcasses or food products during processing. Contamination may also occur in the meat markets themselves.
Get More Protection with UV Disinfection
In addition to the above preventative measures, Germicidal Ultraviolet (UV-C) surface disinfection can inactivate C. diff in many applications, including hospitals, nursing homes, animal husbandry, and meat processing facilities.
While water may not be a primary source of infection, this bacterium has been found in a variety of aquatic environmentsopen_in_new — including drinking water, swimming pools, sewage effluent, and water from treatment plants. UV water disinfection can benefit standard disinfection processes. Shop our products at AtlanticUltraviolet.comopen_in_new.
Learn about these applications:
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Our germicidal lamps produce ultraviolet wavelengths at 254 nanometers, the region of maximum germicidal effectiveness. Read our FAQ blog post to learn more. See dosage data below.
C. diff: Classification & Germicidal UV Dose for Inactivation
| Organism: | Alternate Name: | Type: | Disease: | UV Dose*: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clostridium difficile | C. diff | Bacteria | Colitis | 16.00 mJ/cm2 |
* Nominal germicidal UV dosage necessary to inactivate better than 99% of microorganism. See sources below.
People at High Risk for Contracting C. diff
Most cases of C. diff occur while you’re taking antibiotics or not long after you’ve finished taking antibiotics (since these drugs tend to destroy some of the normal, helpful bacteria in your intestines, in addition to bad bacteria). People are 7 to 10 times more likely to become infected while on antibiotics and during the month after.
Other risk factors include the following (keep in mind that you can become infected even without these characteristics):
- Age 65 and olderopen_in_new
- A recent stay at a hospital or nursing home
- A weakened immune system, such as people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or organ transplant patients taking immunosuppressive drugs (specifically, smokers have been found to be 80% more likelyopen_in_new to develop an infection)
- Previous infection with C. diff or known exposure to the germs (the risk continues to increaseopen_in_new with each infection)
Symptoms of a C. diff Infection
According to the CDC, most individuals experience the following symptoms from an infection:
- Severe diarrhea
- Fever
- Stomach tenderness or pain
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
People who have a severe infection tend to become dehydrated and may hospitalization. It can cause the colon to become inflamed and sometimes form patches of raw tissue that can bleed or produce pus.
Sources on C. diff:
The above information can be found on the following pages.
- CDC: Clostridioides difficileopen_in_new
- Mayo Clinic: C. difficile Infectionopen_in_new
- NCBI: Higher Rates of Clostridium difficile Infection Among Smokersopen_in_new
- NCBI: Clostridium difficile Infection in Older Adultsopen_in_new
- Clostridium difficile in Foods and Animals: History and Measures to Reduce Exposureopen_in_new
- CDC: Clostridium difficile in Retail Meat Productsopen_in_new
- CFAES: Researchers: Food May Be Source of C. diff Infectionsopen_in_new
- The Environment, Farm Animals and Foods as Sources of Clostridioides difficile Infectionopen_in_new
Dosage Source
Sensitivity of Bacteria, Protozoa, Viruses, and Other Microorganisms to Ultraviolet Radiation. Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Volume 126, Article No. 126021. August 20, 2021.
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