Most patients affected by a c.difficile
outbreak at Laval’s superhospital have
now recovered, according to Cité de la
santé’s chief spokesman, Mathieu Vachon.
Vachon said that the hospital implemented special prevention measures after
a small outbreak, affecting four pneumology and nephrology patients, was
declared Sept. 20.
“Whenever we see an abnormal
increase we declare that there has been an
outbreak,” he told The Suburban in an
interview.
He noted that c.difficile is a common
bacterium and only of concern to medical
personnel when people start to experience symptoms. Outbreaks tend to happen more often in hospitals than elsewhere, simply because more people whose immune systems have been weakened congregate there.
arise,” he explained. “We isolate them to
ensure that it doesn’t spread and, when
the diarrhea stops, we declare them safe.”
Prevention measures include moving
victims to an isolated ward and stepping
up and having cleaning staff disinfect the
premises more frequently, using stronger
antiseptics.
“Only one or two patients” were experiencing symptoms any longer, as of Sept.
28, Vachon said.
He underscored the hospital’s success
in nipping similar outbreaks in the bud.
“Since 2006, when the government
started to monitor c.difficile, we have
always experienced fewer outbreaks than
the provincial average,” he reassured.
“Whenever an outbreak arises, it is always
rapidly brought under control.”