Please provide some do's and don'ts on dealing with clostridium difficile infection.

Never: Never wash your hands with alcohol gel hand cleaner; always wash your hands with soap and water.

Ignore: Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 30 seconds after each potential contact.

Ignore: Avoid taking antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. Try probiotics to help prevent recurrences.

Get: Get tested, get treated. Probiotics go a long way toward promoting good bowel health and balance.

TAKE: TAKE A PROBIOTIC WHEN TAKING ANTIBIOTICS.THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS FOR TREATMENT WHICH ARE VERY EFFECTI.

Ignore: Do get treated asap. Don't visit or be near immunocompromised people when infected.

Ignore: This infection is contagious, especially to the elderly, the sick,and institutionalized.

Ignore: Clostridium difficile not getting better within 5 days of treatment may need a change in medication!

Ignore: Do finish all your medicine and have good hand washing habits.

Ignore: Make sure everyone In the home uses good hand washing.

Ignore: If at all possible, don't share the same restroom with others; wash your hands with liquid soap.

Ignore: C. diff can only come about through use of antibiotics-& some are more dangerous than others. ASK!

Ignore: Take a good quality probiotic every day - 1-2 hours after you take your Rx'd antibiotic.

Ignore: Always wash your hands with soap and water after using toilet and after coming in contact with a pt.

Ignore: Frequent handwasing with soap & water. Avoid sharing same toilet with others when having diarrhea.

Ignore: Eat a lot of yogurt with ACTIVE cultures (Danactive, Activia, etc) to keep the C. diff under control.

Ignore: Seek quick med attn. if you thing you have it. Don't start anti-diarrhea meds immediately, stopping the diarrhea could actually make their infection worse.

Ignore: Contact isolation and universal precaution is necessary.

Use: Use an antibacterial soap to help avoid the spread of infection; Alcohol gels won't work.