Dad coming home with C Diff

[Kabbee]

My father has been very ill with cancer and is terminal. He has been in and out if hospital for the past 2 years and on his latest admission, picked up the super bug C Diff. The doctors were treating this for some time without informing us that he had contracted the bug, saying, 'they didn't know where his blood was going', after many transfusions. I believe most if the bacteria for this bug is in the bowel and my Dad has stormer bag.
The doctors at the hospital are ready to send him home, saying he no longer has the bug and there is no more treatment they can give him, but my mother is terrified of contracting this bug. I have been told and read that this bug can very easily return, and is highly contagious as the bacteria spreads through spores from the faeces, and can survive on clothes, work tops and well everywhere really.
It's an awful situation as the family want our father to be comfortable and looked after, but are also very worried for my mother as I have also read that this bug kills thousands a year. We would be more than devastated if anything happened to her. I would be so grateful for any information or guidance on how to handle the horrible situation. Many thanks x

[Kabbee]

Thank you very much for your response. I very much appreciate your help with this. I will pass on this information to my mother and I am sure she will be comforted by this.
Thanks again
Kylee x

[Christina Palmer, M.D.]

I’m sorry to hear about your father being so ill, that sounds really hard on all of you.

Clostridium difficile (C. diff) is a common bacterial infection in hospitalized patients, particularly in patients that have been on broad-spectrum antibiotics causing normal gut bacteria to be wiped out.

You are right that a C. diff infection can be quite serious: it can cause diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal pain, inflammation of the colon called pseudomembranous colitis, and toxic megacolon that can result in death.

Most often, C. diff is easily treated with oral antibiotics. In your dad’s case, from what you said it sounds like he has been effectively treated. Patients can generally go home after they have received several days of antibiotic treatment and their stools are formed. Some people can get recurrent C. diff infections, so it might be helpful for your father to take probiotics and avoid any additional antibiotic use if possible.

During the diarrheal phase and prior treatment, C. diff is quite infectious. The bacteria produce sturdy spores that can be hard to disinfect, and hospitals have strict protocols to prevent transmission. During the first few days of the infection everyone in contact C. diff positive patients must use contact precautions including gowns and gloves.

After adequate treatment and the diarrhea had begun to resolve, these precautions are no longer necessary. However, it is important that everyone at home do frequent hand-washing with soap and water.