title: Morbidity and mortality associated with Clostridium difficile ribotype 078: a case-case study.
abstract: The morbidity and mortality associated with Clostridium difficile ribotype 078 were examined by comparison with other known outbreak strains. A healthcare interaction within eight weeks of a positive specimen significantly increased the likelihood of ribotype 078 compared with ribotype 027. Individuals with ribotype 078 also tended to come from community sources, have a hospital stay post specimen similar to ribotype 027 and a lower 30-day mortality, but these differences were not statistically significant. This study generates several hypotheses and a methodological platform to explore this unique profile.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency, Health Protection Division, Belfast, UK. lynsey.patterson@hscni.net
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wilcox
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Fawley
authors.forename: N Q
authors.initials: NQ
authors.lastname: Verlander
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Geoghegan
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smyth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D021521:Ribotyping; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult