Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Bacterial interference between Clostridium difficile and normal fecal flora.

R D Rolfe, S Helebian, S M Finegold

The Journal of Infectious Diseases

|March 1, 1981

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Corynebacterium pyruviciproducens promotes the production of ovalbumin specific antibody via stimulating dendritic cell differentiation and up-regulating Th2 biased immune response.

Vaccine·2011

Same author

Quantitative detection of enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis subtypes isolated from children with and without diarrhea.

Journal of clinical microbiology·2010

Same author

Innate immune recognition of, and response to, Clostridium sordellii.

Anaerobe·2009

Same author

Evaluation of genotypic and phenotypic methods for differentiation of the members of the Anginosus group streptococci.

European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology·2009

Same author

Study of the in vitro activities of rifaximin and comparator agents against 536 anaerobic intestinal bacteria from the perspective of potential utility in pathology involving bowel flora.

Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy·2008

Same author

National survey on the susceptibility of Bacteroides fragilis group: report and analysis of trends in the United States from 1997 to 2004.

Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy·2007

Certain gut bacteria, like Lactobacillus and enterococci, can inhibit Clostridium difficile growth. This finding is crucial for understanding and preventing antibiotic-associated colitis.

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Gastroenterology
Infectious Diseases

Background:

Clostridium difficile is a primary cause of pseudomembranous colitis linked to antibiotic use.
Antibiotics may disrupt the gut flora, allowing C. difficile to colonize and proliferate.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the in vitro inhibitory effects of fecal bacteria on C. difficile.
To determine if C. difficile itself can inhibit the growth of other gut bacteria.

Main Methods:

Two in vitro methods were used to test the inhibitory activity of fecal bacteria against C. difficile.
The ability of C. difficile strains to inhibit various fecal anaerobic and aerobic bacteria was also assessed.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

Bacteria from six genera inhibited C. difficile multiplication.

Lactobacillus species and group D enterococci showed the most significant antagonistic activity.

All tested C. difficile strains inhibited the growth of specific Bacteroides, Peptococcus, and Peptostreptococcus strains.

Conclusions:

Specific fecal bacteria, notably Lactobacillus and enterococci, possess inhibitory properties against C. difficile.
C. difficile also exhibits antagonistic effects on certain commensal gut bacteria, suggesting complex interactions within the gut microbiome.