800 - Oral Vancomycin Prophylaxis Against Clostridioides difficile in Patients Admitted to a Tertiary Academic Medical Center

Background:      In an effort to more accurately diagnose Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), many hospitals have switched to two-step testing algorithms that rely on nucleic acid amplification testing with reflex enzyme immunoassay for toxin. Additionally, oral vancomycin prophylaxis (OVP) against CDI is increasingly being used; initial studies focused on preventing recurrence in patients with a prior history of CDI, but OVP is also being studied in primary prevention. We hypothesized that following the implementation of two-step testing, clinicians may use OVP for prevention of a patient’s first episode of CDI based on knowledge of prior PCR+/Toxin- testing.

Methods:      We performed a single-center, retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. We identified patients who received oral vancomycin once daily or BID for the prevention of CDI following implementation of two-step testing. Patients who received oral vancomycin as part of a taper following acute infection were excluded. We categorized rationale for prophylaxis based on clinical documentation and collected details of patients’ CDI history, antibiotic exposure, and subsequent CDI testing during hospitalization.

Results:      In the 12 months following implementation of two-step testing, there were 80 patients who received OVP during hospitalization (2 daily and 78 BID). The vast majority (73, 91.3%) had a history of CDI and received OVP for secondary prevention while receiving systemic antibiotics. There were only 3 patients (3.8%) without known clinical history of CDI whose clinicians documented prophylaxis based on previous PCR+/Toxin- testing. Patients on OVP received a mean of 4.1 systemic antibiotics during hospitalization. When continuing OVP for a finite period after discontinuation of systemic antibiotics, this was most commonly done for 2-7 days (16 of 26, 61.5%). 22 patients underwent stool testing for CDI while receiving OVP in the hospital and all resulted PCR-negative.OVP Indication
OVP Duration


Conclusion:      Following implementation of two-step testing for CDI, use of OVP for primary prevention based solely on knowledge of PCR+/Toxin- testing in patients without a history of CDI was rare. Acute CDI appears unlikely in patients actively receiving OVP.