title: Role of the environment in the transmission of Clostridium difficile in health care facilities.
abstract: Recent data demonstrate that the contaminated hospital surface environment plays a key role in the transmission of Clostridium difficile. Enhanced environmental cleaning of rooms housing Clostridium difficile-infected patients is warranted, and, if additional studies demonstrate a benefit of "no-touch" methods (eg, ultraviolet irradiation, hydrogen peroxide systems), their routine use should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. dweber@unch.unc.edu
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Deverick J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Sexton
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rutala
mesh_terms: D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000254:growth & development*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide