C. difficile infections are a leading cause of patient harm in the U.S. medical system. Data from this project will help inform future policy and prevention strategies to reduce C. difficile disease.

Specifically, the EIP C. difficile surveillance project will:

• Determine the burden of C. difficile disease in the United States
• Identify proportion of infections associated with medical care
• Measure trends of disease over time
• Determine which strains of C. difficile are causing disease, and in what proportions

In addition, the project provides infrastructure for further research including studies to identify risk factors, to determine population targets for vaccines, and to monitor the efficacy of prevention strategies.

Data will begin to be publsihed in 2012.

Technical information about this project can be found at "Technical Information — Measuring the Scope of Clostridium difficile Infection in the United States."