Presence of multiple Clostridium difficile strains at primary infection is associated with development of recurrent disease.

ABSTRACT: Recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) places a major burden on the healthcare system. Previous studies have suggested that specific C. difficile strains, or ribotypes, are associated with severe disease and/or recurrence. However, in some patients a new strain is detected in subsequent infections, complicating longitudinal studies focused on strain differences that may contribute to disease outcome. We examined ribotype composition over time in patients who did or did not develop recurrence to examine infection with multiple C. difficile ribotypes (mixed infection), during the course of infection. Using a retrospective patient cohort, we isolated and ribotyped a median of 36 C. difficile colonies from 61 patients (105 total samples) at initial infection, recurrence (a second

SUBMITTER: Seekatz AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6274632 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature