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Updated: Oct 1, 2025
A Protocol to Characterize the Morphological Changes of Clostridium difficile in Response to Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: May 25, 2017
Characterization of a Clostridioides difficile outbreak caused by PCR ribotype 046, associated with increased
Cecilia Magnusson1, Sara Mernelius2, Malin Bengnér3
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Abstract:
This study describes a large nosocomial outbreak of Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) dominated by ribotype (RT) 046 in a Swedish hospital. The present study aimed to examine the pathogenicity of this RT, explore epidemiological links by whole genome sequencing (WGS), and evaluate different interventions implemented to stop the outbreak. Clinical isolates (n = 366) collected during and after the outbreak were ribotyped and 246 isolates were subjected to WGS. Medical records of patients infected with the seven most common RTs were evaluated. RT046 was spread effectively throughout the hospital and was the most common among the 44 different RTs found (114/366 isolates). Infection with RT046 was associated with higher mortality compared to other strains (20.2% to 7.8%), although there were no differences in concomitant disease, age or antibiotic treatment. To control the outbreak, several measures were successfully implemented.
