Molecular epidemiology of Clostridium difficile

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1. Moleculay epidemiology of Clostridium difficile on carriage and transmission in community settings and family members(1) Out of 1,413 individuals, who were composed of nine groups, overall, 108 (7.6%) individuals were positive for C. difficile by faecal culture but carriage rates among the study groups ranged from 4.2% to 15.3%.(2) Typing by PCR ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) demonstrated clusters, of carriers colonised by a single type in each of three groups.(3) Two or more family members were C. difficile-positive in five of 22 families examined. C. difficile with an identical type was isolated from persons within only one family.These findings indicate that cross-transmission of C. difficile cam occur in community settings, and that cross-transmission of C. difficile does not occur frequently among family members at home.2. Molecular analysis of C. difficile from nosocomial outbreaks in Japan(1) At three hospitals examined, a single PCR ribotype strain (type smz) was predominant and accounted for 22 (65%) of 34, 18 (64%) of 28, and 11 (44%) of 25 isolates, respectively. All of the 51 isolates that represented PCR ribotype smz were nontypeable by PFGE because of DNA degradation.(2) All 51 type smz isolates belonged to a new serogroup (designated serogroup JP), reacting with the newly prepared antiserum.(3) The PCR ribotype smz strain was not found among the isolates from healthy adults. These findings indicate that the strain with PCR ribotype smz, PFGE-nontypeabe and serogroup JP is likely to be epidemic in Japan.