C diff warning

CONTROLLING the spread of Clostridium difficile may require "extraordinary resources", an expert has warned.

Dr Mark Miller said that was the level of resources that had been required to deal with outbreaks of the infection in Canada.

"It is likely that similar interventions will be required in Scotland," he said.

Dr Miller, an infection control expert from Canada, spoke out ahead of a conference on healthcare acquired infections organised by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Dr Miller, of the Jewish General Hospital and McGill University, Montreal, told how there had been "lethal epidemics" of the infection in Canada.

"Extraordinary resources were required in each instance to control the epidemics, and it is likely that similar interventions will be required in Scotland.

"Perhaps the most important message to convey is that C difficile epidemics can be controlled quickly by the vigorous application of wide-ranging infection prevention and control strategies."