title: Analysis of Clostridium difficile infections in patients hospitalized at the nephrological ward in Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have evaluated the incidence and risk factors of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in the adult Polish population, in particular in solid organ recipients hospitalized at the nephrological ward.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) among patients hospitalized in the Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients with Clostridium difficile infection diagnosed between October 2011 and November 2013 (26 months), identified among a total of 3728 patients hospitalized in this department during this period, were included in this retrospective, single-center study. The CDI definition was based on the current recommendations of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The observation period was divided into two 13-month intervals. Increased incidence (of borderline significance) of CDI in the second period compared to the first period was observed (1.33% vs 0.65% respectively; p=0.057). Patients after kidney (n=11), kidney and pancreas (n=2) and liver (n=5) transplantation represented 48% of the analyzed CDI patients, and in half of these patients (50%) CDI symptoms occurred within the first 3 months after transplantation. Clostridium difficile infection leads to irreversible deterioration of graft function in 38% of kidney recipients. Most incidents of CDI (70%) were identified as nosocomial infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. Clostridium difficile infection is particularly common among patients in the early period after solid organ transplantation. 2. Clostridium difficile infection may lead to irreversible deterioration of transplanted kidney function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kujawa-Szewieczek
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adamczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwiecień
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dudzicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Prażak
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Więcek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009398:Nephrology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019737:Transplants