Clostridiodes difficile

What is Clostridiodes Difficile

Clostridiodes difficile (C. difficile) is a bacteria that naturally lives in the bowel of about 3-5% of adults without causing any symptoms. When a person’s normal protective bowel bacteria are disrupted or destroyed, such as during treatment with certain antibiotics, chemotherapy, or following bowel surgery, Clostridiodes difficile (C. difficile) can multiply and produce toxins that cause illness. People who take medicines that reduce stomach acid, also have a greater risk of getting a C. diff infection.

C. diff infection may cause symptoms, such as mild to severe diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite and abdominal pain or tenderness. C. diff is the most frequent cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

How Does C. Difficile Spread?

C. difficile bacteria are found in feces. When C. diff bacteria is outside the body, they become spores. These spores are an inactive form of the bacteria and have a protective coating allowing them to live for months on surfaces. People can get infected if they touch surfaces contaminated with spores and then touch their mouths. Spores become active again after being swallowed and reaching bowel. Once there, they can cause infection if bowel bacteria is damaged or destroyed, especially in elderly and immunocompromised individuals. C. difficile infection can be treated successfully using special antibiotics.

C.difficile does not typically pose a risk to healthy people.

How Can C. Difficile Be Prevented?

Regular hand hygiene is the most effective way of preventing the spread of infections. For more information, please review our hand hygiene page.

For more information on C.difficile and how Runnymede controls the spread of this infection, please refer to our C.difficile brochure.

C.difficile surveillance is ongoing at all Ontario hospitals and reported on a monthly basis to the Ministry of Health (MOH).

C. Difficile Infection Rates Per 1,000 Patient Days

2026
MonthNumber of new hospital acquired casesRates per 1,000 patient days
JAN<50
FEB<50.18
MAR<50.16
APR<50.16
MAY<50
JUN<50.17
JUL<50
AUG<50
SEP<50
OCT
NOV
DEC

C. Difficile Infection Rates Per 1,000 Patient Days

2025
MonthNumber of new hospital acquired casesRates per 1,000 patient days
JAN<50.16
FEB<50.36
MAR<50.15
APR<50
MAY<50
JUN<50
JUL<50.31
AUG<50.16
SEP<50.16
OCT<50
NOV<50
DEC<50.16

C. Difficile Infection Rates Per 1,000 Patient Days

2024
MonthNumber of new hospital acquired casesRates per 1,000 patient days
JAN<50.16
FEB<50.34
MAR<50
APR<50
MAY<50
JUN<50
JUL<50.16
AUG<50
SEP<50.16
OCT<50.16
NOV<50.16
DEC<50
2023
MonthNumber of new hospital acquired casesRates per 1,000 patient days
JAN<50
FEB<50
MAR<50
APR<50.17
MAY<50
JUN<50
JUL<50
AUG<50
SEP<50.17
OCT<50.33
NOV<50.16
DEC<50.48
2022
MonthNumber of new hospital acquired casesRates per 1,000
patient days
JAN<50.17
FEB<50
MAR<50
APR<50
MAY<50
JUN<50.16
JUL<50
AUG<50.17
SEP<50
OCT<50
NOV<50
DEC<50
2021
MonthNumber of new hospital acquired casesRates per 1,000 patient days
JAN<50
FEB<50
MAR<50
APR<50
MAY<50
JUN<50
JUL<50
AUG<50
SEP<50
OCT<50
NOV<50
DEC<50
2020
MonthNumber of new hospital
acquired cases		Rates per 1,000
patient days
JAN<50
FEB<50
MAR<50
APR<50
MAY<50
JUN<50.17
JUL<50
AUG<50.16
SEP<50
OCT<50
NOV<50
DEC<50
2019
MonthNumber of new hospital
acquired cases		Rates per 1,000
patient days
JAN<50.32
FEB<50.36
MAR<50
APR<50.17
MAY<50
JUN<50
JUL<50
AUG<50
SEP<50
OCT<50
NOV<50
DEC<50.16

For more information about how our rates are calculated or to find out more about C. difficile, please contact our infection prevention and control practitioner at 416-762-7316, ext. 2238