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The emergence of hypervirulent strains of Clostridium difficile causing outbreaks in hospitals and nursing homes may result in a greater than before spread of the bacterium in the community. By consequence the incidence of community-onset cases of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhoea (CDAD) may increase outside known risk groups that are presently characterized by prior hospitalization, prior antibiotic usage, older age and significant co-morbidity. Herein, we describe two case histories of community-onset CDAD. The first concerns a previously healthy young female with community-acquired CDAD without recent hospitalization or antibiotic usage. The second patient developed diarrhoea in the community after discharge from a hospital where–in retrospect–an outbreak of CDAD occurred. The cases illustrate that CDAD should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients seeking care for community-onset diarrhoea, even in those without characteristic risk factors for CDAD.