title: Importance of asymptomatic shedding of Clostridium difficile in environmental contamination of a neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: A survey of C. difficle in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was conducted. Approximately 25% of infants in the NICU were colonized with Clostridium difficle. Environmental surface cultures were obtained from the NICU and compared with cultures taken from infant, adolescent, and hematology/oncology units. From 150 surface cultures, C difficle was recovered exclusively from the NICU. Of the 16 different types of surfaces cultured, diaper scales and the surrounding area were contaminated most often at 50%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Buffalo School of Medicine, Women and Children's Hospital, Buffalo, NY. Electronic address: hfaden@buffalo.edu.
authors.forename: Howard S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Faden
authors.affiliation: Kaleida Health Laboratories, Buffalo, NY.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dryja
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D057138:Bacterial Shedding; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D013499:Surface Properties
keywords: Children; Environmental contamination; Neonate