What Is C. diff?
2. Transmission
C. diff can be transmitted from person to person via the fecal-oral route. This means that the disease can be transmitted as the pathogens in the feces pass to another person due to lack of sanitation and poor hygiene practices (such as hand washing). Any surface that becomes contaminated with feces becomes a potential reservoir for C. diff spores. This organism can live on surfaces for long durations.
The spores are heat resistant and cannot be killed by routine surface cleaning or hand sanitizers that are alcohol based. When ingested, the spores are also resistant to stomach acid allowing them to pass into the human system unscathed to multiply in the colon. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using soap and alcohol solutions to help limit the spread of spores.
Advertisement
