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Updated: Oct 2, 2026

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

Colonization by Clostridium difficile in hospitalized children: risk factors and typification of the isolated strains

M Camorlinga1, O Muñoz, H Guiscafré

  • 1Unidad de Investigación Clínica en Enfermedades Infecciosas y Parasitarias, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, D.F.

Archivos De Investigacion Medica
|January 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Clostridium difficile colonization was studied in hospitalized children. Antibiotic use impacted colonization rates in infants, and pre-hospitalization strains were more toxigenic.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Clostridium difficile is a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections.
  • Understanding colonization patterns in pediatric populations is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of Clostridium difficile colonization in hospitalized children under 15.
  • To investigate risk factors such as antibiotic use and nutritional status.
  • To characterize isolated Clostridium difficile strains based on toxigenicity and resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Fecal samples were collected from 273 hospitalized children over 11 months.
  • Colonization rates were analyzed by age group (neonates, <1 year, 1-5 years, 5-15 years).
  • Risk factors (antibiotics, nutrition) and strain characteristics (toxigenicity, antibiotic sensitivity, phage/bacteriocin typing) were assessed.

Main Results:

  • Colonization rates varied by age: 9.7% in <1 year, 8.3% in 1-5 years, 4.2% in 5-15 years.
  • Antibiotic treatment significantly decreased colonization in children under one year.
  • Pre-hospitalization strains were more toxigenic; specific resistotypes and phagobacteriocin types were associated with hospital-acquired strains.

Conclusions:

  • Clostridium difficile colonization is present in hospitalized children, with higher rates in younger age groups.
  • Antibiotic stewardship may be particularly important for preventing colonization in infants.
  • Strain characterization reveals differences between community-acquired and hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infections.

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