Oh gosh -- I'm so sorry to hear that -- I didn't even want to write because I don't have special knowledge. The nurse will tell you everything but yes, it's contagious. It is so hard for you and your dad to be in this situation. I hope it's resolved for the best very soon.

I'm sorry to hear that. I got an education when an 85 year-old neighbor had it. I really wasn't sure she would be okay, but she did recover fully. You should know that the usual things (like hand sanitizers do not work with this particular infection. I'm sure the nurse can give you more specifics. However, I did want to post to let you know that although my neighbor was in a care facility for several weeks, she has made a full recovery.

My dad ended up being admitted to the hospital, since the c diff returned, along with pneumonia. Every time I talk to some one, like the ER nurse, doctors, case managers, etc. I get different responses regarding c diff.

Tomorrow I have to go up and clean my dad's bedroom, where he got feces all over his carpet a couple of days ago. My plan is to mix 8 parts water with 1 part bleach. Soak the area that has the feces for 10 minutes. Then use a carpet cleaner with bleach in it to clean up and soak up the stuff on the carpet. It's old carpet, so we don't have to worry about the discoloration. And of course I will be wearing gloves.

Wish me luck!

Karin

Did you ask about how to clean it up? Doing so is very important. Gloves are only part of the cleaning. You need to wear a face mask so the particles that are put into the air will not be on your lips or breathed in. Precautions will also need to be taken with the carpet cleaner because any moisture on it could contain infected particles. C diff is hard to get rid.

Read this link. Common bleach probably will not help enough. https://cdifffoundation.org/c-diff-infection-%e2%99%a5-home-care/

I was not thinking clearly when I mentioned the face mask. It is not only to keep particles out of the mouth and nose but you should use a chemical one because the combination of bleach, water, and human waste products could produce hazardous gas. Small amounts, true but you do not want to breath.

As far as I know, C Dif is a hospital transmitted infection and that may be why their answers aren't clear. I don't know for sure. I was in hospital a couple of years ago and didn't want to go home as quickly as they planned. The doctor said, "You don't want to get a hospital infection -- it's better to leave as soon as you can.

As for the carpet -- I would pull it out of the room and throw it away. When your dad comes home it will be better to have a non slip area rug so you don't have to worry about those things.

C. Diff is NOT a hospital -only infection, but it is encountered there most frequently because of the high use of antibiotics in a hospital and also because people who develop the infection at home end up there.

We all have this organism in our guts. What happens is, using an antibiotic will destroy the balance of gut organisms so that the C.Diff organisms, not affected by the antibiotic, are no longer kept in check by the other bacteria usually found there. The C.Diff proliferates and reaches toxic levels causing infection symptoms.

C.Diff is a spore forming bacteria which makes it harder to treat -- spores resist killing -- if too many spores have survived the treatment period, they can bloom later and the process starts all over.

It is impossible to predict how likely any one person is to develop C.Diff after receiving antibiotics (and nearly any antibiotic can trigger it) nor how well or quickly any one person will respond to treatment for the C.Diff. Older, sicker, or more chronically immune-suppressed, as well as young children, will be more prone to it and likely to respond less well to treatment.

A healthy individual is at much lower risk of acquiring it from the environment -- the risk there comes from exposure to an unusually high number of spores/live organisms from a contaminated environment. It is possible to protect yourself, and avoid carrying the spores to another susceptible individual, by wearing a disposable covering gown and gloves when cleaning or visiting and washing hands thoroughly.

Maifleur01's link is a good one.

I would just rip out the carpet and dispose of it.

I had C-diff years ago in my 20s. I was not in the hospital (until after I got it)

Treatment is different now but ask about eating lots of things with "good bacteria"(yogurt, kefir) or taking a supplement of probiotics.

A company like ServPro might be helpful with cleanup.

I hope your father recovers soon. DH and I went through something similar with a nasty stomach virus (noro? not sure) and got sick cleaning up after patient zero.

I got it 4 years ago at age 53 as a perfectly healthy person. I got it the way many do, through an antibiotic prescribed after dental surgery. After suffering 5 months a fecal transplant cured it immediately. You should insist on this option for your dad rather than the endless rounds of more antibiotics they will want to give him. Bleach is the way to go for cleaning but even that doesn't work 100 per cent. It is a terrible thing.

Well he just got readmitted again two days ago for the c-diff. He tested negative and 8 days later it started again. My two sons and I spent from Friday night to Sunday morning cleaning multiple attacks of diarrhea all over the floor, walls, bedding and bathroom. It was exhausting. Each time I had to remake his bed with clean sheets. I talked to the doctor about the fecal transplant and he said he is going to double the vancomycin to 500 mg. He said he needs to try that first before looking into the fecal transplant. I don't know why they are so hesitant to do that early on, since the success rate is so good.

This is why the doctor is hesitant. "You will need to stop any antibiotic therapy two days before the procedure." Depending on what other bacteria is in the body going two days without the antibiotic at 93 could cause his death.

very sorry to hear this