1- Pediatric Infecciology Unit, Hospital Dona Estefânia CHLC, Lisboa, Portugal
- 5th Congress of the European Academy of Paediatric Societies (EAPS), 17-21/10/2014, Barcelona, Espanha
- Poster
- Arch Dis Child 2014;99:A316-A317 (Resumo)
Background and aims: An increase in paediatric Clostridium difficile (CD) infection incidence has been reported. Yet, its epidemiology and treatment schedules are not certain. We aim to describe the CD incidence, clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes in a children tertiary hospital.
Methods: Data from Clostridium difficile identified cases by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), during 2010 and 2013, in Hospital Dona Estefânia (Portugal).
Results: Eleven cases were identified, 73% during 2013. Three children less than 12 months old were excluded (probable colonization). A median age of 8,7 years was observed, with a highest incidence between children older than 10 years. Six of the cases were not hospitalized. In 62%, the only symptom was diarrhoea. Among the eight cases, five (62%) received multiple antibiotics before the CD detection, three (37%) had a gastrointestinal disease and three (37%) had recently undergone surgery. Six children (75%) received treatment with metronidazol and no complications or deaths were reported. Recurrence was observed in two cases, with one child having three subsequent CD infection episodes.
Conclusions: In our study, the majority of children was not hospitalized, which is in agreement with the recent epidemiologic trends in Clostridium difficile infection. Antibiotic exposure remains the most common and modifiable risk factor, emphasizing the importance of searching CD in this group of children.
Palavras Chave: Clostridium difficile, diarrhoea