Guidelines

Clostridium difficile Testing Guidance

•  Updated Guidance on the diagnosis and reporting of Clostridium difficile  [external link]
• Summary of research underpinning the Department of Health's new Clostridium difficile testing guidance. Defining a testing algorithm to improve the laboratory diagnosis of CDI (PDF, 98 KB) 

Clostridium difficile mandatory surveillance reporting guidance

• Clostridium difficile case definition: Inclusion criteria for reporting C. difficile infection to the surveillance system (PDF, 25 KB)
• C. difficile Infection Reporting: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 73 KB) 

General Guidance

• Clostridium difficile infection: How to deal with the problem (PDF, 853 KB). Department of Health and Health Protection Agency, January 2009
• A simple guide to Clostridium difficle. Department of Heath, 2007
• A good practice guide to control Clostridium difficile (PDF, 283 KB)
• National Standards Group. Report to the Department of Health (PDF, 480 KB)February 2003
• Clostridium difficile Infection, Prevention and Management: A Report by a Department of Health/ Public Health Laboratory Service Joint Working Group. 1994 (PDF, 496 KB)Superceded by January 2009 Guidance

Saving Lives: reducing infection, delivering clean and safe care.

• Isolating patients with healthcare-associated infection. A summary of best practice. Department of Health, 2007
• High Impact Intervention No7: Care bundle to reduce the risk from Clostridium difficile. Department of Health, 2007
• Antimicrobial prescribing. A summary of best practice Department of Health, 2007

CMO/CNO letters (Surveillance Guidance)

• Changes to the mandatory healthcare associated infection surveillance system for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) from 1 January 2008. Letter from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer.
• Additional £50 million for HCAIs and update on requirements for Clostridium difficile reporting. Letter from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, 25 July 2007.
• Changes to the mandatory healthcare associated infection surveillance system for Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea from April 2007. Letter from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, 11 April 2007.
• Infection caused by Clostridium difficile (PDF, 133 KB). Letter  from the Chief Medical  Officer and the Chief Nursing Officer, 21 December 2005