The bacteria, C. difficile, is typically found in hospitals, but a study out Wednesday reports a substantial number of people contracted the bug who hadn’t been in a hospital, but had recently visited the doctor or dentist.
The bacteria can cause deadly diarrhea, according to the CDC, with infections on the rise. The new report shows nearly half a million Americans infected in various locations in one year, with 15,000 deaths directly attributed to C. diff.
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The CDC is hoping its new study will help determine cause and effect, because it’s possible the patients had C. diff to begin with and went to the doctor to get help. It’s also possible that antibiotics prescribed during the doctor’s visit, and not microbes at the doctor’s office, caused the infection.
