By Christian John Lillis

Most bacteria never have a breakout year. But when the nerve center for the nation’s fight against deadly diseases last fall ranked C. diff first among the three most “urgent” threats to public health, an overdue spotlight shone on an epidemic that much of the press overlooked for decades.

Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) weren’t the only ones calling attention to the threat from C. diff last year. Comedian Tig Notaro made headlines for her darkly arcastic stand-up performance highlighting her own bout with the superbug.

Then in December, HBO began airing the somber workplace comedy “Getting On,” set in the long-term care ward of a Southern California hospital. The show is the first major television program to mention C. diff routinely in its scripts.

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