The genes for Clostridium difficile toxins A and B (tcdA and tcdB) are part of a 19.6-kb pathogenicity locus (PaLoc) that includes the genes tcdD, tcdE, and tcdC. To determine whether the C. difficile PaLoc is a stable and conserved genetic unit in toxigenic strains, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze 50 toxigenic, 39 nontoxigenic, and 2 toxin-defective isolates. The resp...

OBJECTIVE To assess a new immunochromatography (ICT) test that detects glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) antigen and Clostridium difficile toxin A/B simultaneously, and to propose an algorithm for the diagnosis of C. difficile infection (CDI) based on this test. METHODS We analysed 970 stool samples. Discrepant results between GDH and toxin A/B were resolved using toxigenic culture as the referen...

A total of 39 toxigenic and 20 nontoxigenic strains of Clostridium difficile were tested for the presence of either toxin A or toxin B by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All toxigenic strains produced cytotoxin as assayed by using highly sensitive fetal lung fibroblasts and were positive for toxin A as well as toxin B in the PCR assay. All nontoxigenic strains failed to produce toxin and w...

Toxigenic Clostridium difficile is a frequent cause of infectious nosocomial diarrhea accounting for up to 25% of nosocomial diarrhea cases. Clinically significant disease is thought to be due almost exclusively to C. difficile strains that produce both toxin A and toxin B. Toxigenic C. difficile produces a broad spectrum of gastrointestinal disease varying from asymptomatic carriage to fulmina...

Since every single test has some limitations for detecting toxigenic Clostridium difficile, multistep algorithms are recommended. This study aimed to compare the current, representative diagnostic algorithms for detecting toxigenic C. difficile, using VIDAS C. difficile toxin A&B (toxin ELFA), VIDAS C. difficile GDH (GDH ELFA, bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Etoile, France), and Xpert C. difficile (Cepheid...

Clostridium difficile is a major nosocomial pathogen and the main causative agent of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. The organism produces two potent toxins, A and B, which are its major virulence factors. These are chromosomally encoded on a region termed the pathogenicity locus (PaLoc), which also contains regulatory genes, and is absent in non-toxigenic strains. Here we show that the PaLoc ...

Aim This study evaluated the frequency of C. difficile and CDAD in the ICU of Shahid Bahonhar Hospital, Kerman, Iran. Background Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is the most important antibiotic associated diarrhea agent in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Based on its toxin producing ability, C .difficile is divided to toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains. Methods A total of 233 diar...

BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile is an important bacterial pathogen of humans and a variety of animal species. Birds, especially migratory passerine species, can play a role in the spread of many pathogens, including Clostridium difficile. Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) nest in close proximity to human habitats and their biology is closely associated with cattle farming. Therefore, we hypothes...

To determine the presence of Clostridium difficile, we sampled cooked and uncooked meat products sold in Tucson, Arizona. Forty-two percent contained toxigenic C. difficile strains (either ribotype 078/toxinotype V [73%] or 027/toxinotype III [NAP1 or NAP1-related; 27%]). These findings indicate that food products may play a role in interspecies C. difficile transmission.

The incidence and severity of disease associated with toxigenic Clostridium difficile have increased in hospitals in North America from the emergence of newer, more virulent strains. Toxigenic C. difficile has been isolated from food animals and retail meat with potential implications of transfer to human beings. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of toxigenic C....