Interventions to Reduce the Incidence of Hospital-Onset Clostridium difficile Infection: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach to Evaluate Clinical Effectiveness in Adult Acute Care Hospitals

Abstract

Background Despite intensified efforts to reduce hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infection (HO-CDI), its clinical and economic impacts continue to worsen. Many institutions have adopted bundled interventions that vary considerably in composition, strength of evidence, and effectiveness. Considerable gaps remain in our knowledge of intervention effectiveness and disease transmission, which hinders HO-CDI prevention. Methods We developed an agent-based model of C. Difficile transmission in a 200-bed adult hospital using studies from the literature, supplemented with primary data collection. The model includes an environmental component and 4 distinct agent types: patients, visitors, nurses, and physicians. We used the model to evaluate the comparative clinical effectiveness of 9 single interventions and 8 multiple-intervention bundles at reducing HO-CDI and asymptomatic C. difficile colonization. Results Daily cleaning with sporicidal disinfectant and C. difficile screening at admission were the most effective single-intervention strategies, reducing HO-CDI by 68.9% and 35.7%, respectively (both P