Clostridium difficile cases increased in 2006 compared to 2005

NHS Highland said there had been 120 cases of Clostridium difficile last year, up from 50 in 2005.

It was also reported that C. difficile was an underlying or contributing cause of death for five patients in the area last year.

C. difficle is recognised as being largely a hospital-acquired infection.

The increase was revealed by the Press and Journal newspaper using Freedom of Information legislation.

Highlands Conservative MSP Mary Scanlon described the figures as worrying and said NHS Highland used to be at the forefront of fighting hospital infections.

Cause illness

She claimed potential patients and their families were now more worried about what they might catch in hospitals than by surgery itself.

C. difficile is a bacterium found in the gut of up to 3% of healthy adults and 66% of infants, where it rarely causes problems.

However, it can cause illness when its growth goes unchecked.