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Culturing and Maintaining Clostridium difficile in an Anaerobic Environment
Published on: September 14, 2013
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Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile in animals
1Department of Pathobiology and Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Weese).
Summary
Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile is a widespread bacterium found in humans and animals, causing disease in some and acting as a commensal in others. While potentially zoonotic, direct animal-to-human transmission evidence remains limited.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Zoonotic Diseases
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium.
- It causes disease in humans and some animal species, while being a commensal in others.
- C. difficile is widely disseminated across diverse domestic and wild animal species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and clinical relevance of C. difficile in various animal species.
- To explore the potential for zoonotic transmission of C. difficile between animals and humans.
- To understand the enigmatic nature of C. difficile as an organism.
Main Methods:
- The study involved investigating C. difficile in a wide range of animal species.
- Prevalence and clinical relevance were assessed within and between species.
- Bacterial strains were identified to determine associations with humans and animals.
Main Results:
- C. difficile is found in most investigated animal species, with varying prevalence and clinical significance.
- Differences in prevalence and relevance exist within and between species.
- Some C. difficile strains are animal-associated, while others are found in both humans and animals.
Conclusions:
- C. difficile is a widely distributed bacterium with significant implications in both human and animal health.
- While a potential zoonotic pathogen, direct evidence of animal-to-human transmission is limited.
- Further research is needed to fully understand this enigmatic organism.
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