Clostridium difficile

Seventy-five meconium samples were examined for the presence of Cl. difficile; 3 strains were isolated. Additionally 45 laboratory animal faeces specimens were tested for the same purpose, a further 2 cases were isolated. These five suspicious strains were identified as Cl. difficle according to the tests mentioned in the previous paragraphs. The organisms isolated here showed the same characteristics as five of the strains received and also as the organisms isolated from the inoculated animals with the crude cultures of Cl. difficile. These organisms were variable in size, roughly 2-9 XO.3-0. 8u, Gram positive rods, motile, capsulated, flagellated, most probably peritrichous, possessing non-bulging spores located terminally or subterminally, free spores were rarely detectable. Cell arrangements: singly or in pairs and occasionally in short chains. On longer incubation the organisms slightly shifted to become Gram variable and longer in size. Colonies on ordinary agar and solid blood agar appeared to be punctiform and rough. On the other hand the colony appearance on the rest of the solid media which are mentioned previously are as follows: 1-3 mm in diameter, greenish, smooth, non-haemolytic, entire some showing slight irregularities of their edges. Colonies slightly raised, butyrous and semi opaque to opaque. This organism does not liquify the serum of Loeffler medium and also does not cause any changes of this medium. The metachromatic granules are readily seen by Albert's staining. Neither proteolytic nor lipolytic activities are possessed by this organism. Sensitivity to antibiotics showed the same pattern as mentioned about the strains received.