Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Culturing and Maintaining Clostridium difficile in an Anaerobic Environment
Published on: September 14, 2013
Hospital disinfectants and spore formation by Clostridium difficile
Abstract:
Evidence is lacking on how best to decontaminate the hospital environment of Clostridium difficile. We compared sporulation levels in the UK epidemic C. difficile strain (P24), another clinical isolate (B31), and an environmental strain (E4) cultured in faecal emulsion containing subinhibitory concentrations of one of five hospital cleaning agents. The epidemic strain produced significantly more spores than the non-prevalent strains, and sporulation was further enhanced when this strain was cultured in faeces exposed to non-chlorine-based cleaning agents. The choice of cleaning agent can have a substantial effect on the persistence of C. difficile spores in the hospital environment.
Related Concept Videos
Cleaning, Sterilization, and Disinfection
Cleaning
The cleaning process usually involves using water with detergents or enzymatic cleaner and removing foreign material from objects and surfaces, including organic material such as body fluids or inorganic material like soil. Cleaning is performed before high-level disinfection and sterilization because foreign materials on the cover of the devices interfere with process...
Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth
Chemical Agents for Microbial Control
Bacterial Toxins
Botulism
Diphtheria

