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Culturing and Maintaining Clostridium difficile in an Anaerobic Environment
11:13

Culturing and Maintaining Clostridium difficile in an Anaerobic Environment

Published on: September 14, 2013

Characteristics of Clostridium difficile strains isolated from asymptomatic individuals and from diarrheal patients

S Wongwanich1, P Pongpech, C Dhiraputra

  • 1Department of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand. siripan@dmsc.moph.go.th

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
|October 10, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Clostridium difficile strains were identified in asymptomatic individuals and patients with diarrhea. Toxigenic strains, particularly PFGE type A, predominated in adults, while non-toxigenic strains were found in infants.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Clostridium difficile is a significant cause of infectious diarrhea.
  • Understanding the genetic diversity of C. difficile is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) genotypes in asymptomatic individuals and patients with diarrhea.
  • To investigate the prevalence of toxigenic and non-toxigenic C. difficile strains in different populations.

Main Methods:

  • Fecal specimens were collected from asymptomatic infants, children, and adult patients.
  • C. difficile was identified using cycloserine-cefoxitin-fructose agar culture.
  • Toxin A gene presence was determined by PCR, and isolates were genotyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

Main Results:

  • C. difficile was detected in 11.9% of infants, 21.1% of children, and 25% of adult patients.
  • Fourteen PFGE types and eight subtypes were identified.
  • Toxigenic C. difficile strains (toxin A gene positive) were found in two infants and 18 adult patients, with PFGE type A being predominant in adults.

Conclusions:

  • Distinct C. difficile clusters were identified at Siriraj Hospital.
  • Toxigenic C. difficile PFGE type A was a predominant clone in adult patients.
  • Non-toxigenic C. difficile types B2 and D were prevalent in asymptomatic infants, suggesting different epidemiological patterns.
Abstract

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