My condolences on your fathers passing.

Clostridium difficile, often called C. difficile or "C. diff," is a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. Illness from C. difficile most commonly affects older adults in hospitals or in long term care facilities and typically occurs after use of antibiotic medications.

“CDI is an escalating issue in our nation’s healthcare facilities,” said William Jarvis, MD, the study’s principal investigator and president of Jason and Jarvis, a healthcare epidemiology consulting firm. “Clearly, preventing the development and transmission of it should be a top priority for every healthcare institution.”
http://www.aacc.org/publications/cln/2009/january/Pages/CovStory2Jan09.aspx

"Clostridium difficile is much more prevalent in America's hospitals than previously believed, says a study in the May American Journal of Infection Control. Thirteen in every 1,000 inpatients has C. diff -- 20 times more than previous estimates -- according to findings from a survey done last summer by the Assn. for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology Inc. Prevalence rates show great variation nationwide."
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/06/01/prca0601.htm

While there are no total numbers, here's a pdf breakdown of percent of 1000 hospital inpatients per state:
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/images/gprca0601a.pdf

Its not just here the US

"One female patient has died and four others are ill after an outbreak of Clostridium difficile at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.Ward 13 is not admitting new patients due to a higher than usual number of cases of C.diff. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/8119134.stm
Source(s):
http://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(09)00041-8/abstract/
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/images/gprca0601a.pdf
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/06/01/prca0601.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/c-difficile/ds00736


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