Microbiome signatures of <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> toxin production and toxin gene presence: a shotgun metagenomic approach.

ABSTRACT: Clostridioides difficile is an opportunistic gastrointestinal pathogen capable of asymptomatic colonization and causes diseases ranging from diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. Accurate diagnosis of C. difficile infection (CDI) is challenging and critical for treatment and control. We hypothesized that gut microbiome profiles could help distinguish C. difficile colonized patients with diarrhea from those with true CDI. We analyzed 172 stool samples from individuals who tested glutamate dehydrogenase positive for C. difficile. Participants were categorized by toxin status (i.e., toxin positive or negative) and then further classified into three toxin groups based on the production of toxin, and if not produced, whether the C. difficile strain carried tox

SUBMITTER: Kwon J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12570482 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature