History and Evolution of the Hypervirulent <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> Ribotype 027 Lineage.

ABSTRACT: Clostridioides difficile was first identified in 1935 and subsequently emerged over the next several decades as the predominant bacterial cause of healthcare-associated gastrointestinal infections, placing a significant burden on healthcare systems worldwide. A major driver of the rapid rise in the incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) was the emergence and spread of a hypervirulent strain, which became known as PCR ribotype 027 (RT027). The C. difficile RT027 strain produced not just the typical toxin A and toxin B virulence factors but also expressed a third toxin called binary toxin that enhanced pathogenicity. Interestingly, the C. difficile RT027 strain apparently emerged at least twice in geographically distinct areas. The two lineages can be different

SUBMITTER: Tickler IA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12566550 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature