Approximately 15 to 35% of patients with a first episode of Clostridium dif
ficile-associated diarrhea relapse within 2 months. Between 1994 and 1997,
strains from 93 hospitalized patients with C. difficile recurrences were fi
ngerprinted by using both serotyping and PCR-ribotyping. The results showed
that 48.4% of clinical recurrences were, in fact, reinfections with a diff
erent strain of C. difficile. Rates of clinical recurrences could therefore
be reduced by implementing strict isolation precautions.