Analyzing the infection rate of Clostridioides difficile in colostomy patients

Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) is a sometimes fatal bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the colon. Certain factors can make a patient more susceptible to contracting C. diff. In this study, variables such as the age, gender, race, ethnicity, marital status, and prior history of colon surgery of a person diagnosed with C. diff are examined to see if certain groups of people are more likely to be infected.

More specifically, this work explores the diagnosis of C. diff for patients who had only a colectomy surgery as compared to that of patients who had both a colectomy and a subsequent ostomy surgery. It was found that the average time taken for a patient to contract C. diff after surgery did not significantly differ between the groups. However, patients who had an ostomy were 1.20 times more likely to contract the infection as compared to patients who did not have an ostomy.

It was found that sex, ethnicity, marital status and a prior history of an ostomy of the patient were significant variables in predicting the outcome of contracting C. diff. Additionally, patients over the age of 65 were 1.15 times more likely to contract an infection as compared to younger patients.

Advisor: Dr. Qiushi Chen