The availability of antibiotics is breeding stronger strains of virus and bacteria and they become resistant to antiviral and antibiotic medications. In some cases, the medicine that’s supposed to keep us healthy actually creates an environment where disease can flourish. That’s the case with Clostridium difficile, or C-diff, a bacteria that’s emerging around the world, especially in hospitals and nursing homes. In Illinois, the rate of infection doubled between 1999 and 2007. C-diff is hard to beat, and it can be deadly. Mary Driscoll is the division chief of patient safety and quality at the Illinois Department of Public Health. She says a C-diff infection can be quite unpleasant, to say the least.

Related:
Illinois Dept. of Public Health’s Report on Clostridium Difficile-Associated Disease in Illinois Hospitals: 2004-2007