However, increasing surveillance by hospitals and its emergence as a cause of death in a growing number of inquests, is clear evidence of the threat of the superbug to older people in particular. Many hospitals are struggling to contain this kind of infection as a result of overcrowding, lack of isolation facilities and a growing elderly population who are at risk of contracting it.

It spreads easily although a number of precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of infection.

Healthcare workers should wear disposable aprons and ideally the patient should be isolated in their own room.

Staff, patients and visitors should wash their hands regularly and thoroughly and areas like toilets and bedpans need to be cleaned thoroughly with a cleaning product containing bleach.

However, in the last National Hygiene Audit Ennis General Hospital scored 68pc overall -- a ranking regarded as "poor".

Prof Cyril Symth, Associate Prof of Microbiology at Trinity College, Dublin, said yesterday that it is unclear if the fifteen patients in Ennis General were all infected within a short time of each other or if they are just sporadic cases. It is still not known and what kind of strain of C difficile was involved.