Clostridioides difficile is a leading cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea, and it thrives on the disruption antibiotics cause to the gut microbiome. The strongest modifiable risk factor is antibiotic exposure itself.
Prevention rests on several pillars working together. Antimicrobial stewardship reduces the exposure that opens the door. Hand hygiene with soap and water matters here specifically, because alcohol-based sanitizers do not reliably kill the spores. Contact precautions and thorough environmental cleaning with sporicidal agents limit spread.
When infection occurs, first-line treatment is fidaxomicin or oral vancomycin rather than metronidazole in most cases.
For patients with recurrent disease, fecal microbiota-based therapies can restore a protective gut community and break the cycle. Prevention and stewardship, though, remain the most durable levers.