C. diff deaths up 28 per cent in one year
Thursday, 28 Aug 2008 10:31
Number of C. diff-related deaths in England and Wales up 28 per cent between 2006-07
The number of deaths in England and Wales involving the hospital superbug Clostridium difficile (C. diff) has risen by 28 per cent over the last year.
Official figures showed that 8,324 death certificates mentioned C. diff in 2007 compared to 6,480 in 2006.
"The number of reported deaths involving C. difficile has more than doubled since 2005 when there were 3,757 mentions on death certificates," the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
"Some of this increase may be due to more complete reporting on death certificates."
In accompanying statistics, the number of MRSA-related deaths was shown to have fallen slightly to 1,593 during the same period – the first annual decrease recorded since 1993.