Occurrence of Blastocystis in Patients with Clostridioides difficile Infection

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Clostridioides difficile is a significant public health threat, particularly hypervirulent strains causing healthcare-associated (HCFO) and community-onset (CO) infections.
• Gut microbiota disruption (dysbiosis) is linked to C. difficile infection (CDI) susceptibility.
• Previous research suggested dysbiosis might inhibit Blastocystis colonization due to increased oxygen, with no prior studies reporting CDI and Blastocystis co-occurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequencies of C. difficile and Blastocystis infection/colonization in diarrheal fecal samples in Colombia.
• To investigate the association between C. difficile and Blastocystis in a Colombian cohort.
• To analyze the toxigenic profiles and patient site of onset for C. difficile.

Main Methods:

• Molecular detection using PCR was performed on 220 diarrheal fecal samples.
• Descriptive analyses were conducted for CDI detection, C. difficile toxigenic profiles, Blastocystis detection, and patient site of onset.
• The study focused on identifying co-occurrence and associations between the two microorganisms.

Main Results:

• A significant association was found between the presence of Blastocystis and CDI.
• Coinfection with C. difficile and Blastocystis was identified in 61 patients.
• High frequencies of CDI were observed in both HCFO and CO patient groups.

Conclusions:

• The coinfection frequencies support hypotheses that Blastocystis can adapt to dysbiosis and oxidative stress.
• The study highlights a concerning frequency of toxigenic C. difficile in community settings, indicating potential for widespread community transmission.
• Further research is warranted to understand the complex interplay between C. difficile, Blastocystis, and the gut microbiome.