Health Care–Associated<i>Clostridium difficile</i>Infection in Canada: Patient Age and Infecting Strain Type Are Highly Predictive of Severe Outcome and Mortality

Abstract

Our study confirms the strong age association with infection due to the NAP1 strain and severe CDI. In addition, patients 60-90 years of age infected with NAP1 are approximately twice as likely to die or to experience a severe CDI-related outcome, compared with those with non-NAP1 infections. Patients >90 years of age experience high rates of severe CDI, regardless of strain type.