Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026
11:13
Culturing and Maintaining Clostridium difficile in an Anaerobic Environment
Published on: September 14, 2013
40.1K
Recovery of Clostridioides difficile from the environment in low resource settings
Peng An Khun1, Barbara J Chang1, Thomas V Riley2
1School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia.
Journal of Microbiological Methods
|February 15, 2026
Summary
A new, cost-effective alcohol wipe method effectively detects Clostridioides difficile spores in environments, proving comparable to standard sponges. This approach is suitable for low-resource settings, simplifying spore detection and environmental monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Infectious disease detection
- Low-resource diagnostics
Background:
- Clostridioides difficile spores persist in the environment for extended periods, posing a continuous infection risk.
- Current methods for detecting C. difficile spores, such as Polywipe™ sponges, can be costly and complex.
- There is a need for simpler, more affordable methods for environmental C. difficile spore detection, especially in resource-limited settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel, economical alcohol wipe method for detecting Clostridioides difficile spores.
- To compare the efficacy of alcohol wipes against traditional Polywipe™ sponges for C. difficile spore recovery.
- To assess the suitability of aerobic culture media (Robertson's cooked meat broth and supplemented brain heart infusion broth) for C. difficile detection in low-resource conditions.
Main Methods:
- Alcohol wipes and Polywipe™ sponges were used to sample surfaces in a dedicated C. difficile microbiology laboratory.
- Environmental samples were cultured using Robertson's cooked meat broth (CMB) and supplemented brain heart infusion broth (BHIB-S) under aerobic conditions.
- Recovery rates of C. difficile spores by each wipe type and culture medium were compared, alongside analysis of known positive human stool samples.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of C. difficile contamination in the laboratory environment was 3.4%.
- Alcohol wipes demonstrated comparable recovery rates (3.2%) to Polywipe™ sponges (3.6%) for C. difficile spores.
- Robertson's cooked meat broth (CMB) showed higher recovery rates (80-100%) compared to BHIB-S (40%) for C. difficile spores from inoculated alcohol wipes, and is transportable at ambient temperatures.
Conclusions:
- Alcohol wipes represent a viable, cost-effective alternative for environmental C. difficile spore detection, particularly in low-resource settings.
- Robertson's cooked meat broth (CMB) is a suitable and practical enrichment medium for use with alcohol wipes in resource-limited environments.
- The study supports the implementation of simpler diagnostic tools for monitoring C. difficile contamination and preventing its spread.
Related Concept Videos
00:46Bioremediation
17.4K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
17.4K
01:29Need for Obtaining Pure Cultures
2.6K
Pure cultures, defined as the growth of a single microorganism species isolated from mixed populations, are fundamental tools in microbiological research and practical applications. These cultures ensure genetic and physiological uniformity, allowing researchers to study microbial traits under controlled conditions.Isolation and Maintenance of Pure CulturesObtaining a pure culture involves isolating a single microbial type from a mixed sample through techniques such as serial dilutions, streak...
2.6K
01:26Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
150
Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to...
150
01:28Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides
85
Pesticides often feature structurally complex chemical architectures, incorporating halogen groups and multiple aromatic rings. These characteristics confer high chemical stability, rendering many pesticides resistant to natural degradation processes. This resistance poses significant environmental concerns, as persistent pesticide residues can accumulate in ecosystems and affect non-target organisms.Despite the inherent stability of many pesticides, certain microorganisms possess the metabolic...
85
01:28Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics
131
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a synthetic polymer widely utilized in the packaging industry, particularly for bottles and containers. Due to its chemical stability and durability, PET accumulates in the environment, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. It comprises repeating units of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, resulting in a semi-crystalline structure that is resistant to natural degradation processes.A notable breakthrough in plastic biodegradation came with the...
131
01:27Microbiota of the Large Intestine
98
The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
98