Clostridium difficile
Deaths fall for the first time since 1999
Number of death certificates mentioning Clostridium difficile and recording Clostridium difficile as the underlying cause of death, England and Wales (Please note, there is no data available for 2000)
The number of death certificates in England and Wales mentioning Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection increased each year from 1999 to 2007. However, in 2008 mentions of the infection fell by 29 per cent from 8,324 to 5,931. Among death certificates with a mention of C. difficile, the percentage for which it was the underlying cause of death has been similar (around 55 per cent) in each year, but decreased slightly in 2007 to 49 per cent. This percentage decreased further in 2008 to 42 per cent.
Age-standardised death rates for both males and females increased over the period 1999 to 2007. Then, in 2008 the rate for deaths involving C. difficile in males decreased from 85 per million population in 2007 to 62 per million in 2008, a decrease of 27 per cent. In females the rate for deaths involving C. difficile decreased from 81 to 56 per million population over the same period, a decrease of 30 per cent.
Most of the deaths involving C. difficile were at older ages. Mortality rates in 2008 for deaths involving C. difficile in the 85 and over age group were 2,331 and 2,303 deaths per million population for males and females respectively. In the under 45 age group there was 1 death per million population for both males and females.
Notes:
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a spore forming bacterium which is present as one of the 'normal' bacteria in the gut of up to 3 per cent of healthy adults. Patients who have been treated with broad spectrum antibiotics are at greatest risk of C. difficile associated disease. In addition, risks of contracting C. difficile are raised for patients who are elderly, have a serious underlying illness that compromises their immune system, have a prolonged stay in healthcare settings, or have recently had gastrointestinal surgery. Patients are also at risk of developing C. difficile disease when there are outbreaks in hospitals.
Data are only available where cause of death has been coded using the Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases. This was used by ONS in 1999 and from 2001 onwards. Data are therefore not available for 2000.
The method used to calculate deaths involving C. difficile is described in the report: ‘Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 2001-2005’, Health Statistics Quarterly 33.
Mortality rates for 2008 have been calculated using provisional death registrations figures for 2008 and population projections for 2008 as estimates are not yet available. These rates are therefore provisional until updated in the next annual report.
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Clostridium difficile data