Hospitals in Quebec are facing another outbreak of Clostridium difficile. The bacterium has caused more than 2,000 deaths in the past 4 years, and 8 people have died in the past three months at a Quebec City hospital.

The latest round of cases, which occurred at the Saint-Francois d'Assise hospital, sickened 52 people. The outbreak appears to be contained, however, as health officials report that the number of cases has decreased to 3 in the past 3 weeks.

Another 16 people died in Quebec after contracting the bacterium at a hospital in Saint-Hyacinthe last year.

Although C. difficile infections in hospitals across Canada are not uncommon, the strain that has caused so many deaths in Quebec hospitals in recent years appears to be one that is resistant to antibiotic treatment.

C. difficile infections generally cause diarrhea, fever, and pain or tenderness in the abdomen. Infection with C. difficile is generally not serious in healthy persons, but can be severe in elderly persons. All of the persons who died in the latest outbreak were elderly and had several health problems.