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Keehner J, Abeles SR, Longhurst CA, Horton LE, Myers FE, Riggs-Rodriguez L, Ahmad M, Baxter S, Boussina A, Cantrell K, Cardenas P, De Hoff P, El-Kareh R, Holland J, Ikeda D, Kurashige K, Laurent LC, Lucas A, Pride D, Sathe S, Tran AR, Vasylyeva TI, Yeo G, Knight R, Wertheim JO, Torriani FJ. Integrated Genomic and Social Network Analyses of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in the Healthcare Setting. Clin Infect Dis 2024; 78:1204-1213. [PMID: 38227643 PMCID: PMC11093679 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infection prevention (IP) measures are designed to mitigate the transmission of pathogens in healthcare. Using large-scale viral genomic and social network analyses, we determined if IP measures used during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic were adequate in protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients from acquiring SARS-CoV-2. METHODS We performed retrospective cross-sectional analyses of viral genomics from all available SARS-CoV-2 viral samples collected at UC San Diego Health and social network analysis using the electronic medical record to derive temporospatial overlap of infections among related viromes and supplemented with contact tracing data. The outcome measure was any instance of healthcare transmission, defined as cases with closely related viral genomes and epidemiological connection within the healthcare setting during the infection window. Between November 2020 through January 2022, 12 933 viral genomes were obtained from 35 666 patients and HCWs. RESULTS Among 5112 SARS-CoV-2 viral samples sequenced from the second and third waves of SARS-CoV-2 (pre-Omicron), 291 pairs were derived from persons with a plausible healthcare overlap. Of these, 34 pairs (12%) were phylogenetically linked: 19 attributable to household and 14 to healthcare transmission. During the Omicron wave, 2106 contact pairs among 7821 sequences resulted in 120 (6%) related pairs among 32 clusters, of which 10 were consistent with healthcare transmission. Transmission was more likely to occur in shared spaces in the older hospital compared with the newer hospital (2.54 vs 0.63 transmission events per 1000 admissions, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS IP strategies were effective at identifying and preventing healthcare SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Keehner
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California–SanFrancisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Shira R Abeles
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
- Infection Prevention and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Christopher A Longhurst
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Lucy E Horton
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
- Infection Prevention and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
- Vaccine Research and Development Unit, Pfizer Inc, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Frank E Myers
- Infection Prevention and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Lindsay Riggs-Rodriguez
- Population Health Services Organization—Programs and Strategy, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Mohammed Ahmad
- Information Services EMR, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Sally Baxter
- Division of Biomedical Informatics at the University of California–San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Aaron Boussina
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kalen Cantrell
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Priscilla Cardenas
- UC San Diego Health's Contact Tracing Team, Infection Prevention and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Peter De Hoff
- Sanford Consortium of Regenerative Medicine, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Expedited COVID Identification Environment Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Robert El-Kareh
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, La Jolla, California, USA
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Jennifer Holland
- Analytics and Population Health Department, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Daryn Ikeda
- UC San Diego Health's Contact Tracing Team, Infection Prevention and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Kirk Kurashige
- Analytics and Population Health Department, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Louise C Laurent
- Sanford Consortium of Regenerative Medicine, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Expedited COVID Identification Environment Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Andrew Lucas
- Information Services EMR, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - David Pride
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
- Department of Pathology, UC San Diego Health, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Shashank Sathe
- Sanford Consortium of Regenerative Medicine, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Expedited COVID Identification Environment Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Allen R Tran
- Information Services EMR, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Tetyana I Vasylyeva
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Gene Yeo
- Sanford Consortium of Regenerative Medicine, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Expedited COVID Identification Environment Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Rob Knight
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Expedited COVID Identification Environment Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Joel O Wertheim
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Francesca J Torriani
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
- Infection Prevention and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California, USA
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Kim MH, Kim J, Ra H, Jeong S, Park YS, Won D, Lee H, Kim H. Identifying Contact Time Required for Secondary Transmission of Clostridioides difficile Infections by Using Real-Time Locating System. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:908-915. [PMID: 38666567 PMCID: PMC11060456 DOI: 10.3201/eid3005.231588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Considering patient room shortages and prevalence of other communicable diseases, reassessing the isolation of patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is imperative. We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the secondary CDI transmission rate in a hospital in South Korea, where patients with CDI were not isolated. Using data from a real-time locating system and electronic medical records, we investigated patients who had both direct and indirect contact with CDI index patients. The primary outcome was secondary CDI transmission, identified by whole-genome sequencing. Among 909 direct and 2,711 indirect contact cases, 2 instances of secondary transmission were observed (2 [0.05%] of 3,620 cases), 1 transmission via direct contact and 1 via environmental sources. A low level of direct contact (113 minutes) was required for secondary CDI transmission. Our findings support the adoption of exhaustive standard preventive measures, including environmental decontamination, rather than contact isolation of CDI patients in nonoutbreak settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Hyung Kim
- Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwasieong, South Korea (M.H. Kim)
- Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea (J. Kim, D. Won, H. Lee)
- Yonsei University Yongin Severance Hospital, Yongin, South Korea (H. Ra, S. Jeong, Y.S. Park, H. Kim)
| | - Jaewoong Kim
- Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwasieong, South Korea (M.H. Kim)
- Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea (J. Kim, D. Won, H. Lee)
- Yonsei University Yongin Severance Hospital, Yongin, South Korea (H. Ra, S. Jeong, Y.S. Park, H. Kim)
| | - Heejin Ra
- Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwasieong, South Korea (M.H. Kim)
- Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea (J. Kim, D. Won, H. Lee)
- Yonsei University Yongin Severance Hospital, Yongin, South Korea (H. Ra, S. Jeong, Y.S. Park, H. Kim)
| | - Sooyeon Jeong
- Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwasieong, South Korea (M.H. Kim)
- Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea (J. Kim, D. Won, H. Lee)
- Yonsei University Yongin Severance Hospital, Yongin, South Korea (H. Ra, S. Jeong, Y.S. Park, H. Kim)
| | - Yoon Soo Park
- Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwasieong, South Korea (M.H. Kim)
- Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea (J. Kim, D. Won, H. Lee)
- Yonsei University Yongin Severance Hospital, Yongin, South Korea (H. Ra, S. Jeong, Y.S. Park, H. Kim)
| | - Dongju Won
- Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwasieong, South Korea (M.H. Kim)
- Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea (J. Kim, D. Won, H. Lee)
- Yonsei University Yongin Severance Hospital, Yongin, South Korea (H. Ra, S. Jeong, Y.S. Park, H. Kim)
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Newcomer EP, Fishbein SRS, Zhang K, Hink T, Reske KA, Cass C, Iqbal ZH, Struttmann EL, Burnham CAD, Dubberke ER, Dantas G. Genomic surveillance of Clostridioides difficile transmission and virulence in a healthcare setting. mBio 2024; 15:e0330023. [PMID: 38329369 PMCID: PMC10936198 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03300-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea, despite the widespread implementation of contact precautions for patients with CDI. Here, we investigate strain contamination in a hospital setting and the genomic determinants of disease outcomes. Across two wards over 6 months, we selectively cultured C. difficile from patients (n = 384) and their environments. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 146 isolates revealed that most C. difficile isolates were from clade 1 (131/146, 89.7%), while only one isolate of the hypervirulent ST1 was recovered. Of culture-positive admissions (n = 79), 19 (24%) patients were colonized with toxigenic C. difficile on admission to the hospital. We defined 25 strain networks at ≤2 core gene single nucleotide polymorphisms; two of these networks contain strains from different patients. Strain networks were temporally linked (P < 0.0001). To understand the genomic correlates of the disease, we conducted WGS on an additional cohort of C. difficile (n = 102 isolates) from the same hospital and confirmed that clade 1 isolates are responsible for most CDI cases. We found that while toxigenic C. difficile isolates are associated with the presence of cdtR, nontoxigenic isolates have an increased abundance of prophages. Our pangenomic analysis of clade 1 isolates suggests that while toxin genes (tcdABER and cdtR) were associated with CDI symptoms, they are dispensable for patient colonization. These data indicate that toxigenic and nontoxigenic C. difficile contamination persist in a hospital setting and highlight further investigation into how accessory genomic repertoires contribute to C. difficile colonization and disease. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile infection remains a leading cause of hospital-associated diarrhea, despite increased antibiotic stewardship and transmission prevention strategies. This suggests a changing genomic landscape of C. difficile. Our study provides insight into the nature of prevalent C. difficile strains in a hospital setting and transmission patterns among carriers. Longitudinal sampling of surfaces and patient stool revealed that both toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains of C. difficile clade 1 dominate these two wards. Moreover, quantification of transmission in carriers of these clade 1 isolates underscores the need to revisit infection prevention measures in this patient group. We identified unique genetic signatures associated with virulence in this clade. Our data highlight the complexities of preventing transmission of this pathogen in a hospital setting and the need to investigate the mechanisms of in vivo persistence and virulence of prevalent lineages in the host gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin P. Newcomer
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Skye R. S. Fishbein
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kailun Zhang
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tiffany Hink
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kimberly A. Reske
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Candice Cass
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zainab H. Iqbal
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Emily L. Struttmann
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Carey-Ann D. Burnham
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Erik R. Dubberke
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Gautam Dantas
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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4
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Janezic S, Garneau JR, Monot M. Comparative Genomics of Clostridioides difficile. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1435:199-218. [PMID: 38175477 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42108-2_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, a Gram-positive spore-forming anaerobic bacterium, has rapidly emerged as the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhoea in hospitals. The availability of large numbers of genome sequences, mainly due to the use of next-generation sequencing methods, has undoubtedly shown their immense advantages in the determination of C. difficile population structure. The implementation of fine-scale comparative genomic approaches has paved the way for global transmission and recurrence studies, as well as more targeted studies, such as the PaLoc or CRISPR/Cas systems. In this chapter, we provide an overview of recent and significant findings on C. difficile using comparative genomic studies with implications for epidemiology, infection control and understanding of the evolution of C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Janezic
- National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food (NLZOH), Maribor, Slovenia.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia.
| | - Julian R Garneau
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marc Monot
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Plate-forme Technologique Biomics, Paris, France
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5
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Newcomer EP, Fishbein SRS, Zhang K, Hink T, Reske KA, Cass C, Iqbal ZH, Struttmann EL, Dubberke ER, Dantas G. Genomic surveillance of Clostridioides difficile transmission and virulence in a healthcare setting. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.26.23295023. [PMID: 38105952 PMCID: PMC10723495 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.26.23295023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea, despite the widespread implementation of contact precautions for patients with CDI. Here, we investigate strain contamination in a hospital setting and genomic determinants of disease outcomes. Across two wards over six months, we selectively cultured C. difficile from patients (n=384) and their environments. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 146 isolates revealed that most C. difficile isolates were from clade 1 (131/146, 89.7%), while only one isolate of the hypervirulent ST1 was recovered. Of culture-positive admissions (n=79), 19 (24%) of patients were colonized with toxigenic C. difficile on admission to the hospital. We defined 25 strain networks at ≤ 2 core gene SNPs; 2 of these networks contain strains from different patients. Strain networks were temporally linked (p<0.0001). To understand genomic correlates of disease, we conducted WGS on an additional cohort of C. difficile (n=102 isolates) from the same hospital and confirmed that clade 1 isolates are responsible for most CDI cases. We found that while toxigenic C. difficile isolates are associated with the presence of cdtR , nontoxigenic isolates have an increased abundance of prophages. Our pangenomic analysis of clade 1 isolates suggests that while toxin genes ( tcdABER and cdtR ) were associated with CDI symptoms, they are dispensable for patient colonization. These data indicate toxigenic and nontoxigenic C. difficile contamination persists in a hospital setting and highlight further investigation into how accessory genomic repertoires contribute to C. difficile colonization and disease.
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6
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Carling PC, Parry MF, Olmstead R. Environmental approaches to controlling Clostridioides difficile infection in healthcare settings. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2023; 12:94. [PMID: 37679758 PMCID: PMC10483842 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-023-01295-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
As today's most prevalent and costly healthcare-associated infection, hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile infection (HO-CDI) represents a major threat to patient safety world-wide. This review will discuss how new insights into the epidemiology of CDI have quantified the prevalence of C. difficile (CD) spore contamination of the patient-zone as well as the role of asymptomatically colonized patients who unavoidable contaminate their near and distant environments with resilient spores. Clarification of the epidemiology of CD in parallel with the development of a new generation of sporicidal agents which can be used on a daily basis without damaging surfaces, equipment, or the environment, led to the research discussed in this review. These advances underscore the potential for significantly mitigating HO-CDI when combined with ongoing programs for optimizing the thoroughness of cleaning as well as disinfection. The consequence of this paradigm-shift in environmental hygiene practice, particularly when combined with advances in hand hygiene practice, has the potential for significantly improving patient safety in hospitals globally by mitigating the acquisition of CD spores and, quite plausibly, other environmentally transmitted healthcare-associated pathogens.
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Kiu R, Shaw AG, Sim K, Acuna-Gonzalez A, Price CA, Bedwell H, Dreger SA, Fowler WJ, Cornwell E, Pickard D, Belteki G, Malsom J, Phillips S, Young GR, Schofield Z, Alcon-Giner C, Berrington JE, Stewart CJ, Dougan G, Clarke P, Douce G, Robinson SD, Kroll JS, Hall LJ. Particular genomic and virulence traits associated with preterm infant-derived toxigenic Clostridium perfringens strains. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1160-1175. [PMID: 37231089 PMCID: PMC10234813 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01385-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic toxin-producing bacterium associated with intestinal diseases, particularly in neonatal humans and animals. Infant gut microbiome studies have recently indicated a link between C. perfringens and the preterm infant disease necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), with specific NEC cases associated with overabundant C. perfringens termed C. perfringens-associated NEC (CPA-NEC). In the present study, we carried out whole-genome sequencing of 272 C. perfringens isolates from 70 infants across 5 hospitals in the United Kingdom. In this retrospective analysis, we performed in-depth genomic analyses (virulence profiling, strain tracking and plasmid analysis) and experimentally characterized pathogenic traits of 31 strains, including 4 from CPA-NEC patients. We found that the gene encoding toxin perfringolysin O, pfoA, was largely deficient in a human-derived hypovirulent lineage, as well as certain colonization factors, in contrast to typical pfoA-encoding virulent lineages. We determined that infant-associated pfoA+ strains caused significantly more cellular damage than pfoA- strains in vitro, and further confirmed this virulence trait in vivo using an oral-challenge C57BL/6 murine model. These findings suggest both the importance of pfoA+ C. perfringens as a gut pathogen in preterm infants and areas for further investigation, including potential intervention and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Kiu
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Kathleen Sim
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Harley Bedwell
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Sally A Dreger
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Wesley J Fowler
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Emma Cornwell
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Derek Pickard
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gusztav Belteki
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jennifer Malsom
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Sarah Phillips
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Gregory R Young
- Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Zoe Schofield
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Janet E Berrington
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Newcastle Neonatal Services, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Christopher J Stewart
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Newcastle Neonatal Services, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Gordon Dougan
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paul Clarke
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Gillian Douce
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Stephen D Robinson
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - J Simon Kroll
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lindsay J Hall
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK.
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
- Intestinal Microbiome, School of Life Sciences, ZIEL-Institute for Food & Health, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
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8
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Barbar R, Brazelton JN, Carroll KC, Lewis S, Bourdas D, Tembo A, Gluck L, Hakim H, Hayden RT. Molecular Epidemiology and Genetic Relatedness of Clostridioides difficile Isolates in Pediatric Oncology and Transplant Patients Using Whole Genome Sequencing. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 76:e1071-e1078. [PMID: 35675378 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has been rising among hospitalized children, with poor understanding of genomic variability of C. difficile isolates in this population. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of CDI in inpatient and outpatient pediatric oncology and cell transplant patients (POTPs) in 2016 and 2017. CDI cases were identified by positive C. difficile toxin polymerase chain reaction tests. Retrieved residual stool specimens were cultured anaerobically and toxin-producing C. difficile isolates underwent whole genome sequencing (WGS) followed by core genome multilocus sequence typing. Plausible time and location epidemiologic links among the closely related strains were evaluated to identify potential transmission events. RESULTS Among 226 CDI episodes in 157 patients, 202 stool samples were cultured and had positive cytotoxicity tests. Sequencing identified 33 different strain types in 162 (80%) isolates. Thirty-nine (28%) patients had multiple episodes of CDI, and 31 clusters of related isolates were identified, 15 (47%) of which involved exclusively multiple specimens from the same patient. For the 16 clusters involving multiple patients, epidemiologic investigation revealed only 2 (12.5%) clusters with potential transmission events. CONCLUSIONS WGS identified a highly diverse group of C. difficile isolates among POTPs with CDI. Although WGS identified clusters of closely related isolates in multiple patients, epidemiologic investigation of shared inpatient exposures identified potential transmission in only 2 clusters. Clostridioides difficile transmission was uncommon in this population. More than 70% of new CDI reinfections in POTPs are actually recurrences caused by a previous CDI strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruba Barbar
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jessica N Brazelton
- Department of Pathology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Karen C Carroll
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shawna Lewis
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dimitrios Bourdas
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anita Tembo
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Linda Gluck
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hana Hakim
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Randall T Hayden
- Department of Pathology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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9
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Evidence of within-facility patient-patient Clostridiodes difficile infection spread across diverse settings. Epidemiol Infect 2022; 151:e4. [PMID: 36502810 PMCID: PMC9990401 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268822001893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that a hospital patient's risk of developing healthcare facility-onset (HCFO) Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) increases with the number of concurrent spatially proximate patients with CDI, termed CDI pressure. However, these studies were performed either in a single institution or in a single state with a very coarse measure of concurrence. We conducted a retrospective case-control study involving over 17.5 million inpatient visits across 700 hospitals in eight US states. We built a weighted, directed network connecting overlapping inpatient visits to measure facility-level CDI pressure. We then matched HCFO-CDIs with non-CDI controls on facility, comorbidities and demographics and performed a conditional logistic regression to determine the odds of developing HCFO-CDI given the number of coincident patient visits with CDI. On average, cases' visits coincided with 9.2 CDI cases, which for an individual with an average length of stay corresponded to an estimated 17.7% (95% CI 12.9-22.7%) increase in the odds of acquiring HCFO-CDI compared to an inpatient visit without concurrent CDI cases or fully isolated from both direct and indirect risks from concurrent CDI cases. These results suggest that, either directly or indirectly, hospital patients with CDI lead to CDIs in non-infected patients with temporally overlapping visits.
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Johnson S, Gerding DN, Li X, Reda DJ, Donskey CJ, Gupta K, Goetz MB, Climo MW, Gordin FM, Ringer R, Johnson N, Johnson M, Calais LA, Goldberg AM, Ge L, Haegerich T. Defining optimal treatment for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (OpTION study): A randomized, double-blind comparison of three antibiotic regimens for patients with a first or second recurrence. Contemp Clin Trials 2022; 116:106756. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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11
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Eyre DW. Infection prevention and control insights from a decade of pathogen whole-genome sequencing. J Hosp Infect 2022; 122:180-186. [PMID: 35157991 PMCID: PMC8837474 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pathogen whole-genome sequencing has become an important tool for understanding the transmission and epidemiology of infectious diseases. It has improved our understanding of sources of infection and transmission routes for important healthcare-associated pathogens, including Clostridioides difficile and Staphylococcus aureus. Transmission from known infected or colonized patients in hospitals may explain fewer cases than previously thought and multiple introductions of these pathogens from the community may play a greater a role. The findings have had important implications for infection prevention and control. Sequencing has identified heterogeneity within pathogen species, with some subtypes transmitting and persisting in hospitals better than others. It has identified sources of infection in healthcare-associated outbreaks of food-borne pathogens, Candida auris and Mycobacterium chimera, as well as individuals or groups involved in transmission and historical sources of infection. SARS-CoV-2 sequencing has been central to tracking variants during the COVID-19 pandemic and has helped understand transmission to and from patients and healthcare workers despite prevention efforts. Metagenomic sequencing is an emerging technology for culture-independent diagnosis of infection and antimicrobial resistance. In future, sequencing is likely to become more accessible and widely available. Real-time use in hospitals may allow infection prevention and control teams to identify transmission and to target interventions. It may also provide surveillance and infection control benchmarking. Attention to ethical and wellbeing issues arising from sequencing identifying individuals involved in transmission is important. Pathogen whole-genome sequencing has provided an incredible new lens to understand the epidemiology of healthcare-associated infection and to better control and prevent these infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- D W Eyre
- Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; National Institiute for Health Research, Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford University Hospitals, Oxford, UK.
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12
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Worley J, Delaney ML, Cummins CK, DuBois A, Klompas M, Bry L. Genomic Determination of Relative Risks for Clostridioides difficile Infection From Asymptomatic Carriage in Intensive Care Unit Patients. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:e1727-e1736. [PMID: 32676661 PMCID: PMC8678446 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) are among the most prevalent hospital-associated infections (HAIs), particularly for intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The risks for developing active CDI from asymptomatic carriage of C. difficile are not well understood. METHODS We identified asymptomatic C. difficile carriage among 1897 ICU patients using rectal swabs from an existing ICU vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) surveillance program. C. difficile isolates from VRE swabs, and from C. difficile-positive stool samples, were genome sequenced. Spatial-temporal data from hospital records assessed genomically identified clusters for potential transmission events. RESULTS Genomic analyses identified a diverse set of strains in infected patients and asymptomatic carriers. A total of 7.4% of ICU patients asymptomatically carried C. difficile; 69% of isolates carried an intact toxin locus. In contrast, 96% of C. difficile stool isolates were toxin encoding. CDI rates in asymptomatic carriers of toxin-encoding strains were 5.3% versus 0.57% in noncarriers. The relative risk for CDI with asymptomatic carriage of a toxin-encoding strain was 9.32 (95% confidence interval, 3.25-26.7). Genomic identification of clonal clusters supported analyses for asymptomatic transmission events, with spatial-temporal overlaps identified in 13 of 28 cases. CONCLUSIONS Our studies provide the first genomically confirmed assessments of CDI relative risk from asymptomatic carriage of toxin-encoding strains and highlight the complex dynamics of asymptomatic transmission in ICUs. Asymptomatic carriers are an active reservoir of C. difficile in the nosocomial environment. C. difficile screening can be implemented within existing HAI surveillance programs and has the potential to support infection-control efforts against this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Worley
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mary L Delaney
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher K Cummins
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrea DuBois
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael Klompas
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lynn Bry
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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13
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Health Care Environmental Hygiene: New Insights and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidance. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2021; 35:609-629. [PMID: 34362536 DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2021.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent research has significantly clarified the impact of optimizing patient-zone environmental hygiene. New insights into the environmental microbial epidemiology of many hospital-associated pathogens, especially Clostridioides difficile, have clarified and quantified the role of ongoing occult pathogen transmission from the near-patient environment. The recent development of safe, broadly effective surface chemical disinfectants has led to new opportunities to broadly enhance environmental hygiene in all health care settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently developed a detailed guidance to assist all health care settings in implementing optimized programs to mitigate health care-associated pathogen transmission from the near-patient surfaces.
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14
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Cho J, Cunningham S, Pu M, Lennon RJ, Dens Higano J, Jeraldo P, Sampathkumar P, Shannon S, Kashyap PC, Patel R. Clostridioides difficile Whole-genome Sequencing Differentiates Relapse With the Same Strain From Reinfection With a New Strain. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 72:806-813. [PMID: 32064535 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current approaches in tracking Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and individualizing patient management are incompletely defined. METHODS We recruited 468 subjects with CDI at Mayo Clinic Rochester between May and December 2016 and performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on C. difficile isolates from 397. WGS was also performed on isolates from a subset of the subjects at the time of a recurrence of infection. The sequence data were analyzed by determining core genome multilocus sequence type (cgMLST), with isolates grouped by allelic differences and the predicted ribotype. RESULTS There were no correlations between C. difficile isolates based either on cgMLST or ribotype groupings and CDI outcome. An epidemiologic assessment of hospitalized subjects harboring C. difficile isolates with ≤2 allelic differences, based on standard infection prevention and control assessment, revealed no evidence of person-to-person transmission. Interestingly, community-acquired CDI subjects in 40% of groups with ≤2 allelic differences resided within the same zip code. Among 18 subjects clinically classified as having recurrent CDI, WGS revealed 14 with initial and subsequent isolates differing by ≤2 allelic differences, suggesting a relapse of infection with the same initial strain, and 4 with isolates differing by >50 allelic differences, suggesting reinfection. Among the 5 subjects classified as having a reinfection based on the timing of recurrence, 3 had isolates with ≤2 allelic differences between them, suggesting a relapse, and 2 had isolates differing by >50 allelic differences, suggesting reinfection. CONCLUSIONS Our findings point to potential transmission of C. difficile in the community. WGS better differentiates relapse from reinfection than do definitions based on the timing of recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice Cho
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Scott Cunningham
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Meng Pu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ryan J Lennon
- Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Patricio Jeraldo
- Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Priya Sampathkumar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Samantha Shannon
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Purna C Kashyap
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Robin Patel
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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15
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McLean K, Balada-Llasat JM, Waalkes A, Pancholi P, Salipante SJ. Whole-genome sequencing of clinical Clostridioides difficile isolates reveals molecular epidemiology and discrepancies with conventional laboratory diagnostic testing. J Hosp Infect 2020; 108:64-71. [PMID: 33227298 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The high clinical burden of Clostridioides difficile infections merits rapid and sensitive identification of affected individuals. However, effective diagnosis remains challenging. Current best practice guidelines recommend molecular and/or direct toxin detection-based screening for symptomatic individuals, but previous work has called into question the concordance and performance of extant clinical assays. AIM To better correlate the genomic and phenotypic properties of clinical C. difficile isolates with laboratory testing outcomes in both C. difficile-infected patients and asymptomatic carriers. METHODS Whole-genome sequencing of clinical C. difficile isolates collected from an inpatient population at a single healthcare institution was performed, enabling examination of their molecular epidemiology and toxigenic gene content. Genomic findings were compared with clinical testing outcomes, identifying multiple diagnostic discrepancies. FINDINGS Toxigenic culture, considered a 'reference standard', provided perfect sensitivity and specificity in predicting toxigenic gene content, whereas reduced performance was observed for Simplexa C. difficile Direct Assay (100% specificity, 88% sensitivity), Gene Xpert CD/Epi Assay (86% specificity, 83% sensitivity), and Quick Check Complete Tox A/B (100% specificity, 30% sensitivity). Genomic analysis additionally revealed variability in toxin gene sequences among C. difficile strains, phylogenomic equivalency between isolates from affected patients and carriers, and patient carriage with uncommon environmentally derived C. difficile lineages, as well as presenting opportunities for tracing pathogen transmission events. CONCLUSION These results highlight the variable performance of clinical stool-based testing approaches as well as the potential diagnostic utility of whole-genome sequencing as an alternative to conventional testing algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- K McLean
- University of Washington Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - J-M Balada-Llasat
- Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - A Waalkes
- University of Washington Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - P Pancholi
- Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - S J Salipante
- University of Washington Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
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16
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Abstract
Clostridium difficile, the most common cause of hospital-associated diarrhoea in developed countries, presents major public health challenges. The high clinical and economic burden from C. difficile infection (CDI) relates to the high frequency of recurrent infections caused by either the same or different strains of C. difficile. An interval of 8 weeks after index infection is commonly used to classify recurrent CDI episodes. We assessed strains of C. difficile in a sample of patients with recurrent CDI in Western Australia from October 2011 to July 2017. The performance of different intervals between initial and subsequent episodes of CDI was investigated. Of 4612 patients with CDI, 1471 (32%) were identified with recurrence. PCR ribotyping data were available for initial and recurrent episodes for 551 patients. Relapse (recurrence with same ribotype (RT) as index episode) was found in 350 (64%) patients and reinfection (recurrence with new RT) in 201 (36%) patients. Our analysis indicates that 8- and 20-week intervals failed to adequately distinguish reinfection from relapse. In addition, living in a non-metropolitan area modified the effect of age on the risk of relapse. Where molecular epidemiological data are not available, we suggest that applying an 8-week interval to define recurrent CDI requires more consideration.
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17
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Shen A. Clostridioides difficile Spores: Bile Acid Sensors and Trojan Horses of Transmission. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 2020; 33:58-66. [PMID: 32104157 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1701230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium, Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections in the United States, although it also causes a significant number of community-acquired infections. C. difficile infections, which range in severity from mild diarrhea to toxic megacolon, cost more to treat than matched infections, with an annual treatment cost of approximately $6 billion for almost half-a-million infections. These high-treatment costs are due to the high rates of C. difficile disease recurrence (>20%) and necessity for special disinfection measures. These complications arise in part because C. difficile makes metabolically dormant spores, which are the major infectious particle of this obligate anaerobe. These seemingly inanimate life forms are inert to antibiotics, resistant to commonly used disinfectants, readily disseminated, and capable of surviving in the environment for a long period of time. However, upon sensing specific bile salts in the vertebrate gut, C. difficile spores transform back into the vegetative cells that are responsible for causing disease. This review discusses how spores are ideal vectors for disease transmission and how antibiotics modulate this process. We also describe the resistance properties of spores and how they create challenges eradicating spores, as well as promote their spread. Lastly, environmental reservoirs of C. difficile spores and strategies for destroying them particularly in health care environments will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee Shen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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18
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Kong LY, Eyre DW, Corbeil J, Raymond F, Walker AS, Wilcox MH, Crook DW, Michaud S, Toye B, Frost E, Dendukuri N, Schiller I, Bourgault AM, Dascal A, Oughton M, Longtin Y, Poirier L, Brassard P, Turgeon N, Gilca R, Loo VG. Clostridium difficile: Investigating Transmission Patterns Between Infected and Colonized Patients Using Whole Genome Sequencing. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 68:204-209. [PMID: 29846557 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Whole genome sequencing (WGS) studies can enhance our understanding of the role of patients with asymptomatic Clostridium difficile colonization in transmission. Methods Isolates obtained from patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and colonization identified in a study conducted during 2006-2007 at 6 Canadian hospitals underwent typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, and WGS. Isolates from incident CDI cases not in the initial study were also sequenced where possible. Ward movement and typing data were combined to identify plausible donors for each CDI case, as defined by shared time and space within predefined limits. Proportions of plausible donors for CDI cases that were colonized, infected, or both were examined. Results Five hundred fifty-four isolates were sequenced successfully, 353 from colonized patients and 201 from CDI cases. The NAP1/027/ST1 strain was the most common strain, found in 124 (62%) of infected and 92 (26%) of colonized patients. A donor with a plausible ward link was found for 81 CDI cases (40%) using WGS with a threshold of ≤2 single nucleotide polymorphisms to determine relatedness. Sixty-five (32%) CDI cases could be linked to both infected and colonized donors. Exclusive linkages to infected and colonized donors were found for 28 (14%) and 12 (6%) CDI cases, respectively. Conclusions Colonized patients contribute to transmission, but CDI cases are more likely linked to other infected patients than colonized patients in this cohort with high rates of the NAP1/027/ST1 strain, highlighting the importance of local prevalence of virulent strains in determining transmission dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Yuan Kong
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Department of Medical Microbiology, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - David W Eyre
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, United Kingdom.,National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, United Kingdom
| | - Jacques Corbeil
- Centre de recherche CHUQ, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Frederic Raymond
- Centre de recherche CHUQ, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - A Sarah Walker
- National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, United Kingdom
| | - Mark H Wilcox
- Department of Microbiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals and University of Leeds, London, United Kingdom
| | - Derrick W Crook
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, United Kingdom.,National Infection Service, Public Health England, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Michaud
- Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Ontario
| | - Baldwin Toye
- Division of Microbiology, Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ontario
| | - Eric Frost
- Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Ontario
| | | | - Ian Schiller
- Centre for Outcomes Research, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Canada
| | - Anne-Marie Bourgault
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Department of Medical Microbiology, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Microbiology, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Canada
| | - Andrew Dascal
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Jewish General Hospital, Canada
| | - Matthew Oughton
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Jewish General Hospital, Canada
| | - Yves Longtin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Jewish General Hospital, Canada
| | - Louise Poirier
- Department of Microbiology, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montréal, Canada
| | - Paul Brassard
- Centre for Outcomes Research, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Canada
| | - Nathalie Turgeon
- Department of Microbiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Canada
| | - Rodica Gilca
- Québec Institute of Public Health, Québec City, Canada
| | - Vivian G Loo
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Department of Medical Microbiology, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Waker E, Ambrozkiewicz F, Kulecka M, Paziewska A, Skubisz K, Cybula P, Targoński Ł, Mikula M, Walewski J, Ostrowski J. High Prevalence of Genetically Related Clostridium Difficile Strains at a Single Hemato-Oncology Ward Over 10 Years. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1618. [PMID: 32793147 PMCID: PMC7384382 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) is the main cause of healthcare-associated infectious diarrhea. We used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to measure the prevalence and genetic variability of C. difficile at a single hemato-oncology ward over a 10 year period. Methods: Between 2008 and 2018, 2077 stool samples were obtained from diarrheal patients hospitalized at the Department of Lymphoma; of these, 618 were positive for toxin A/B. 140 isolates were then subjected to WGS on Ion Torrent PGM sequencer. Results: 36 and 104 isolates were recovered from 36 to 46 patients with single and multiple CDIs, respectively. Of these, 131 strains were toxigenic. Toxin gene profiles tcdA(+);tcdB(+);cdtA/cdtB(+) and tcdA(+);tcdB(+);cdtA/cdtB(-) were identified in 122 and nine strains, respectively. No isolates showed reduced susceptibility to metronidazole and vancomycin. All tested strains were resistant to ciprofloxacin, and 72.9, 42.9, and 72.9% of strains were resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, or moxifloxacin, respectively. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) identified 23 distinct sequence types (STs) and two unidentified strains. Strains ST1 and ST42 represented 31 and 30.1% of all strains tested, respectively. However, while ST1 was detected across nearly all years studied, ST42 was detected only from 2009 to 2011. Conclusion: The high proportion of infected patients in 2008-2011 may be explained by the predominance of more transmissible and virulent C. difficile strains. Although this retrospective study was not designed to define outbreaks of C. difficile, the finding that most isolates exhibited high levels of genetic relatedness suggests nosocomial acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Waker
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Filip Ambrozkiewicz
- Department of Genetics, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maria Kulecka
- Department of Genetics, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre for Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Paziewska
- Department of Genetics, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre for Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Skubisz
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre for Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Patrycja Cybula
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre for Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Łukasz Targoński
- Department of Lymphoproliferative Diseases, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Mikula
- Department of Genetics, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jan Walewski
- Department of Lymphoproliferative Diseases, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jerzy Ostrowski
- Department of Genetics, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre for Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
- *Correspondence: Jerzy Ostrowski,
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20
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Kociolek LK, Gerding DN, Espinosa RO, Patel SJ, Shulman ST, Ozer EA. Clostridium difficile Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals Limited Transmission Among Symptomatic Children: A Single-Center Analysis. Clin Infect Dis 2019; 67:229-234. [PMID: 29370348 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although pediatric Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs) are increasing, C. difficile transmission patterns among children are poorly understood. Methods We performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) on C. difficile isolates collected from children diagnosed with CDI between December 2012 and December 2013 at a single academic medical center. Genome sequences of isolates from CDIs diagnosed ≥8 weeks after study initiation were compared to all study isolate genome sequences. Among patients with isogenic isolates (≤2-3 core genome single nucleotide variants [SNVs] identified by pairwise SNV analyses), common inpatient and/or outpatient healthcare exposures were investigated. Results Among 131 CDIs in 107 children, WGS identified 104 genetically distinct isolates. Of 84 incident CDIs occurring ≥8 weeks after study initiation, only 10 (11.9%) were caused by a strain isogenic to another cohort CDI isolate (putative transmission events). Proportions of each CDI class putatively associated with transmission were hospital-onset healthcare facility-associated (HCFA), 2/16 (12.5%); community-onset HCFA, 1/17 (5.9%); indeterminate, 1/11 (9.1%); community-associated (CA), 5/40 (12.5%); and recurrent, 1/21 (4.8%). Transmission events among CA and HCFA CDIs were similarly infrequent (5/40 [12.5%] vs 3/33 [9.1%]; P = .64). Shared healthcare facility exposures were only identified among 7/10 putative transmission events. Potential community transmission (same postal code) was not identified. Conclusions WGS identified a highly diverse group of C. difficile isolates among children with CDI, including those with HCFA CDI. Clostridium difficile transmission among symptomatic children was very uncommon. Among putatively transmitted cases, investigation of shared healthcare exposures often did not identify a potential transmission source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larry K Kociolek
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
| | - Dale N Gerding
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood.,Department of Medicine, Edward Hines, Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines
| | - Robyn O Espinosa
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
| | - Sameer J Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
| | - Stanford T Shulman
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
| | - Egon A Ozer
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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Martin JSH, Eyre DW, Fawley WN, Griffiths D, Davies K, Mawer DPC, Peto TEA, Crook DW, Walker AS, Wilcox MH. Patient and Strain Characteristics Associated With Clostridium difficile Transmission and Adverse Outcomes. Clin Infect Dis 2019; 67:1379-1387. [PMID: 29659753 PMCID: PMC6186849 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background No study has used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate risk factors for Clostridium difficile (CD) transmission between cases, or assessed the impact of recent acquisition on patient outcome. Methods This 20 month retrospective cohort study included consecutive cytotoxin-positive diarrheal samples, which underwent culture, ribotyping, and WGS (Illumina). Sequenced isolates were compared using single nucleotide variants (SNVs). Independent predictors of acquisition from another case, onward transmission, 120-day recurrence, and 30-day mortality were identified using logistic regression with backwards elimination. Results Of 660 CD cases, 640 (97%) were sequenced, of which 567 (89%) shared a ribotype with a prior case, but only 227 (35%) were ≤2 SNVs from a prior case, supporting recent acquisition. Plausible (<2 SNVs) recent ward-based acquisition from a symptomatic case was more frequent in certain ribotypes; 64% (67/105) for ribotype-027 cases, compared with 11% (6/57) for ribotype-078. Independent risk factors (adjusted P < .05) for CD acquisition included older age, longer inpatient duration, and ribotype; these factors, and male sex, increased onward transmission. Patients with a plausible donor had a greater risk of recurrence (adjusted P = .001) and trended towards greater 30-day mortality (adjusted P = .06). Ribotype had no additional mortality or recurrence impact after adjusting for acquisition (P > .1). Conclusions Greater transmission of certain lineages suggests CD may have different reservoirs and modes of transmission. Acquiring CD from a recent case is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Clinical characteristics associated with increased healthcare-associated CD transmission could be used to target preventative interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David W Eyre
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, United Kingdom.,NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Warren N Fawley
- Public Health England-Leeds Regional Laboratory, United Kingdom
| | - David Griffiths
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, United Kingdom.,NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kerrie Davies
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals & University of Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Timothy E A Peto
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, United Kingdom.,NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Derrick W Crook
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, United Kingdom.,NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.,Public Health England, Colindale, United Kingdom
| | - A Sarah Walker
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, United Kingdom.,NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Mark H Wilcox
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals & University of Leeds, United Kingdom
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22
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Eyre DW, Davies KA, Davis G, Fawley WN, Dingle KE, De Maio N, Karas A, Crook DW, Peto TEA, Walker AS, Wilcox MH. Two Distinct Patterns of Clostridium difficile Diversity Across Europe Indicating Contrasting Routes of Spread. Clin Infect Dis 2019; 67:1035-1044. [PMID: 29659747 PMCID: PMC6137122 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rates of Clostridium difficile infection vary widely across Europe, as do prevalent ribotypes. The extent of Europe-wide diversity within each ribotype, however, is unknown. Methods Inpatient diarrheal fecal samples submitted on a single day in summer and winter (2012–2013) to laboratories in 482 European hospitals were cultured for C. difficile, and isolates the 10 most prevalent ribotypes were whole-genome sequenced. Within each ribotype, country-based sequence clustering was assessed using the ratio of the median number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms between isolates within versus across different countries, using permutation tests. Time-scaled Bayesian phylogenies were used to reconstruct the historical location of each lineage. Results Sequenced isolates (n = 624) were from 19 countries. Five ribotypes had within-country clustering: ribotype 356, only in Italy; ribotype 018, predominantly in Italy; ribotype 176, with distinct Czech and German clades; ribotype 001/072, including distinct German, Slovakian, and Spanish clades; and ribotype 027, with multiple predominantly country-specific clades including in Hungary, Italy, Germany, Romania, and Poland. By contrast, we found no within-country clustering for ribotypes 078, 015, 002, 014, and 020, consistent with a Europe-wide distribution. Fluoroquinolone resistance was significantly more common in within-country clustered ribotypes (P = .009). Fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates were also more tightly clustered geographically with a median (interquartile range) of 43 (0–213) miles between each isolate and the most closely genetically related isolate, versus 421 (204–680) miles in nonresistant pairs (P < .001). Conclusions Two distinct patterns of C. difficile ribotype spread were observed, consistent with either predominantly healthcare-associated acquisition or Europe-wide dissemination via other routes/sources, for example, the food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Eyre
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford
| | - Kerrie A Davies
- Healthcare Associated Infections Research Group, University of Leeds
| | - Georgina Davis
- Healthcare Associated Infections Research Group, University of Leeds
| | - Warren N Fawley
- Healthcare Associated Infections Research Group, University of Leeds.,Public Health England, Leeds
| | - Kate E Dingle
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford
| | | | | | | | - Tim E A Peto
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford
| | | | - Mark H Wilcox
- Healthcare Associated Infections Research Group, University of Leeds
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Janezic S, Rupnik M. Development and Implementation of Whole Genome Sequencing-Based Typing Schemes for Clostridioides difficile. Front Public Health 2019; 7:309. [PMID: 31709221 PMCID: PMC6821651 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is an important nosocomial pathogen increasingly observed in the community and in different non-human reservoirs. The epidemiology and transmissibility of C. difficile has been studied using a variety of typing methods, including more recently developed whole-genome sequence (WGS) analysis that is becoming used routinely for bacterial typing worldwide. Here we review the schemes for WGS-based typing methods available for C. difficile and their applications in the field of human C. difficile infection (CDI). The two main approaches to discover genomic variations are single nucleotide variant (SNV) analysis and methods based on gene-by-gene comparisons (frequently called core genome or whole genome MLST, cgMLST, or wgMLST). SNV analysis currently provides the ultimate resolution, however, typing nomenclature and standardized methodology are missing. On the other hand, gene-by-gene approaches allow portability and standardized nomenclature, and are therefore becoming increasingly popular in bacterial epidemiology and outbreak investigation. Two commercial software packages (BioNumerics and Ridom SeqSphere+) and an open source database (EnteroBase) for allele and sequence type determination for C. difficile are currently available. Proof-of-concept WGS studies have already enabled advances in the investigation of the population structure of C. difficile species, microevolution within the epidemic strains, intercontinental transmission over time and in tracking of transmission events. WGS of clinical C. difficile isolates demonstrated a considerable genetic diversity suggesting diverse reservoirs for CDI. WGS was also shown to aid in resolving relapses and reinfections in recurrent CDI and has potential for use as a tool for assessing hospital infection prevention and control performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Janezic
- National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Maribor, Slovenia.,Medical Faculty, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Maja Rupnik
- National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Maribor, Slovenia.,Medical Faculty, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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Tosas Auguet O, Stabler RA, Betley J, Preston MD, Dhaliwal M, Gaunt M, Ioannou A, Desai N, Karadag T, Batra R, Otter JA, Marbach H, Clark TG, Edgeworth JD. Frequent Undetected Ward-Based Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission Linked to Patient Sharing Between Hospitals. Clin Infect Dis 2019; 66:840-848. [PMID: 29095965 PMCID: PMC5850096 DOI: 10.1093/cid/cix901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recent evidence suggests that hospital transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is uncommon in UK centers that have implemented sustained infection control programs. We investigated whether a healthcare-network analysis could shed light on transmission paths currently sustaining MRSA levels in UK hospitals. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was performed in 2 National Health Service hospital groups and a general district hospital in Southeast London. All MRSA patients identified at inpatient, outpatient, and community settings between 1 November 2011 and 29 February 2012 were included. We identified genetically defined MRSA transmission clusters in individual hospitals and across the healthcare network, and examined genetic differentiation of sequence type (ST) 22 MRSA isolates within and between hospitals and inpatient or outpatient and community settings, as informed by average and median pairwise single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and SNP-based proportions of nearly identical isolates. Results Two hundred forty-eight of 610 (40.7%) MRSA patients were linked in 90 transmission clusters, of which 27 spanned multiple hospitals. Analysis of a large 32 patient ST22-MRSA cluster showed that 26 of 32 patients (81.3%) had multiple contacts with one another during ward stays at any hospital. No residential, outpatient, or significant community healthcare contacts were identified. Genetic differentiation between ST22 MRSA inpatient isolates from different hospitals was less than between inpatient isolates from the same hospitals (P ≤ .01). Conclusions There is evidence of frequent ward-based transmission of MRSA brought about by frequent patient admissions to multiple hospitals. Limiting in-ward transmission requires sharing of MRSA status data between hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Tosas Auguet
- Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.,Oxford Health Systems Collaboration, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford
| | - Richard A Stabler
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
| | - Jason Betley
- Illumina, Cambridge Ltd, Chesterford Research Park, Little Chesterford, Essex
| | - Mark D Preston
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
| | - Mandeep Dhaliwal
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
| | - Michael Gaunt
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
| | - Avgousta Ioannou
- Illumina, Cambridge Ltd, Chesterford Research Park, Little Chesterford, Essex
| | - Nergish Desai
- Department of Medical Microbiology, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
| | - Tacim Karadag
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
| | - Rahul Batra
- Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
| | - Jonathan A Otter
- Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.,National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance at Imperial College London, and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Infection Prevention and Control
| | - Helene Marbach
- Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
| | - Taane G Clark
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.,Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan D Edgeworth
- Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
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25
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Incidence of Clostridioides difficile infections among young and middle-aged adults: Veterans Health Administration. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2019; 40:997-1005. [DOI: 10.1017/ice.2019.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
AbstractObjective:Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) remains a significant public health concern, resulting in excess morbidity, mortality, and costs. Additional insight into the burden of CDI in adults aged <65 years is needed.Design/Setting:A 6-year retrospective cohort study was conducted using data extracted from United States Veterans Health Administration electronic medical records.Patients/Methods:Patients aged 18–64 years on January 1, 2011, were followed until incident CDI, death, loss-to-follow-up, or December 31, 2016. CDI was identified by a diagnosis code accompanied by metronidazole, vancomycin, or fidaxomicin therapy, or positive laboratory test. The clinical setting of CDI onset was defined according to 2017 SHEA-IDSA guidelines.Results:Of 1,073,900 patients, 10,534 had a CDI during follow-up. The overall incidence rate was 177 CDIs per 100,000 person years, rising steadily from 164 per 100,000 person years in 2011 to 189 per 100,000 person years in 2016. Those with a CDI were slightly older (55 vs 51 years) and sicker, with a higher baseline Charlson comorbidity index score (1.4 vs 0.5) than those without an infection. Nearly half (48%) of all incident CDIs were community associated, and this proportion rose from 41% in 2011 to 56% in 2016.Conclusions:The findings from this large retrospective study indicate that CDI incidence, driven primarily by increasing community-associated infection, is rising among young and middle-aged adult Veterans with high service-related disability. The increasing burden of community associated CDI in this vulnerable population warrants attention. Future studies quantifying the economic and societal burden of CDI will inform decisions surrounding prevention strategies.
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26
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Hygienemaßnahmen bei Clostridioides difficile-Infektion (CDI). Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2019; 62:906-923. [DOI: 10.1007/s00103-019-02959-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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27
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A core genome approach that enables prospective and dynamic monitoring of infectious outbreaks. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7808. [PMID: 31127153 PMCID: PMC6534532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44189-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome sequencing is increasingly adopted in clinical settings to identify pathogen transmissions, though largely as a retrospective tool. Prospective monitoring, in which samples are continuously added and compared to previous samples, can generate more actionable information. To enable prospective pathogen comparison, genomic relatedness metrics based on single-nucleotide differences must be consistent across time, efficient to compute and reliable for a large variety of samples. The choice of genomic regions to compare, i.e., the core genome, is critical to obtain a good metric. We propose a novel core genome method that selects conserved sequences in the reference genome by comparing its k-mer content to that of publicly available genome assemblies. The conserved-sequence genome is sample set-independent, which enables prospective pathogen monitoring. Based on clinical data sets of 3436 S. aureus, 1362 K. pneumoniae and 348 E. faecium samples, ROC curves demonstrate that the conserved-sequence genome disambiguates same-patient samples better than a core genome consisting of conserved genes. The conserved-sequence genome confirms outbreak samples with high sensitivity: in a set of 2335 S. aureus samples, it correctly identifies 44 out of 44 known outbreak samples, whereas the conserved-gene method confirms 38 known outbreak samples.
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García-Fernández S, Frentrup M, Steglich M, Gonzaga A, Cobo M, López-Fresneña N, Cobo J, Morosini MI, Cantón R, Del Campo R, Nübel U. Whole-genome sequencing reveals nosocomial Clostridioides difficile transmission and a previously unsuspected epidemic scenario. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6959. [PMID: 31061423 PMCID: PMC6502822 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43464-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To trace the routes and frequencies of transmission of Clostridioides difficile in a tertiary-care hospital in Madrid (Spain), we sequenced the genomes from all C. difficile isolates collected over 36 months (2014-2016) that were indistinguishable from any other isolate by PCR ribotyping. From a total of 589 C. difficile infection cases, we cultivated and PCR-ribotyped 367 C. difficile isolates (62%), of which 265 were genome-sequenced. Based on close relatedness of successively collected isolates (≤2 SNPs difference in their genomes), whole-genome sequencing revealed a total of 17 independent, putative transmission clusters, caused by various C. difficile strains and each containing 2 to 18 cases, none of which had been detected previously by standard epidemiological surveillance. Proportions of linked isolates varied widely among PCR ribotypes, from 3% (1/36) for ribotype 014/020 to 60% (12/20) for ribotype 027, suggesting differential aptitudes for nosocomial spread. Remarkably, only a minority (17%) of transmission recipients had direct ward contact to their presumed donors and specific C. difficile genome types frequently went undetectable for several months before re-emerging later, suggesting reservoirs for the pathogen outside of symptomatic patients. Taken together, our analysis based on genome sequencing suggested considerable within-hospital epidemic spread of C. difficile, even though epidemiological data initially had been inconspicuous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio García-Fernández
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (REIPI), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Matthias Steglich
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany.,German Center of Infection Research (DZIF), Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Marta Cobo
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nieves López-Fresneña
- Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Cobo
- Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (REIPI), Madrid, Spain.,Servicio de Enfermedades Infecciosas, and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - María-Isabel Morosini
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (REIPI), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Cantón
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (REIPI), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa Del Campo
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (REIPI), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ulrich Nübel
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany. .,German Center of Infection Research (DZIF), Braunschweig, Germany. .,Braunschweig Integrated Center of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technical University, Braunschweig, Germany.
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Moore RJ, Lacey JA. Genomics of the Pathogenic Clostridia. Microbiol Spectr 2019; 7:10.1128/microbiolspec.gpp3-0033-2018. [PMID: 31215504 PMCID: PMC11257213 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.gpp3-0033-2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome sequences are now available for all the clinically important clostridia and many of the lesser or opportunistically pathogenic clostridia. The complex clade structures of C. difficile, C. perfringens, and the species that produce botulinum toxins have been delineated by whole-genome sequence analysis. The true clostridia of cluster I show relatively low levels of gross genomic rearrangements within species, in contrast to the species of cluster XI, notably C. difficile, which have been found to have very plastic genomes with significant levels of chromosomal rearrangement. Throughout the clostridial phylotypes, a large proportion of the strain diversity is driven by the acquisition and loss of mobile elements, including phages, plasmids, insertion sequences, and transposons. Genomic analysis has been used to investigate the diversity and spread of C. difficile within hospital settings, the zoonotic transfer of isolates, and the emergence, origins, and geographic spread of epidemic ribotypes. In C. perfringens the clades defined by chromosomal sequence analysis show no indications of clustering based on host species or geographical location. Whole-genome sequence analysis helps to define the different survival and pathogenesis strategies that the clostridia use. Some, such as C. botulinum, produce toxins which rapidly act to kill the host, whereas others, such as C. perfringens and C. difficile, produce less lethal toxins which can damage tissue but do not rapidly kill the host. The genomes provide a resource that can be mined to identify potential vaccine antigens and targets for other forms of therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Moore
- Host-Microbe Interactions Laboratory, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Jake A Lacey
- Doherty Department, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
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Mintzer V, Moran-Gilad J, Simon-Tuval T. Operational models and criteria for incorporating microbial whole genome sequencing in hospital microbiology - A systematic literature review. Clin Microbiol Infect 2019; 25:1086-1095. [PMID: 31039443 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2019.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbial whole genome sequencing (WGS) has many advantages over standard microbiological methods. However, it is not yet widely implemented in routine hospital diagnostics due to notable challenges. OBJECTIVES The aim was to extract managerial, financial and clinical criteria supporting the decision to implement WGS in routine diagnostic microbiology, across different operational models of implementation in the hospital setting. METHODS This was a systematic review of literature identified through PubMed and Web of Science. English literature studies discussing the applications of microbial WGS without limitation on publication date were eligible. A narrative approach for categorization and synthesis of the sources identified was adopted. RESULTS A total of 98 sources were included. Four main alternative operational models for incorporating WGS in clinical microbiology laboratories were identified: full in-house sequencing and analysis, full outsourcing of sequencing and analysis and two hybrid models combining in-house/outsourcing of the sequencing and analysis components. Six main criteria (and multiple related sub-criteria) for WGS implementation emerged from our review and included cost (e.g. the availability of resources for capital and operational investment); manpower (e.g. the ability to provide training programmes or recruit trained personnel), laboratory infrastructure (e.g. the availability of supplies and consumables or sequencing platforms), bioinformatics requirements (e.g. the availability of valid analysis tools); computational infrastructure (e.g. the availability of storage space or data safety arrangements); and quality control (e.g. the existence of standardized procedures). CONCLUSIONS The decision to incorporate WGS in routine diagnostics involves multiple, sometimes competing, criteria and sub-criteria. Mapping these criteria systematically is an essential stage in developing policies for adoption of this technology, e.g. using a multicriteria decision tool. Future research that will prioritize criteria and sub-criteria that were identified in our review in the context of operational models will inform decision-making at clinical and managerial levels with respect to effective implementation of WGS for routine use. Beyond WGS, similar decision-making challenges are expected with respect to future integration of clinical metagenomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Mintzer
- Department of Health Systems Management, Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel; Leumit Health Services, Israel
| | - J Moran-Gilad
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel; ESCMID Study Group for Genomic and Molecular Diagnostics (ESGMD), Basel, Switzerland
| | - T Simon-Tuval
- Department of Health Systems Management, Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
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Eyre DW, Shaw R, Adams H, Cooper T, Crook DW, Griffin RM, Mannion P, Morgan M, Morris T, Perry M, Jones S, Peto TEA, Sutton J, Walker AS, Williams D, Craine N. WGS to determine the extent of Clostridioides difficile transmission in a high incidence setting in North Wales in 2015. J Antimicrob Chemother 2019; 74:1092-1100. [PMID: 30561656 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dky523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Rates of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) are higher in North Wales than elsewhere in the UK. We used WGS to investigate if this is due to increased healthcare-associated transmission from other cases. METHODS Healthcare and community C. difficile isolates from patients across North Wales (February-July 2015) from glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH)-positive faecal samples underwent WGS. Data from patient records, hospital management systems and national antimicrobial use surveillance were used. RESULTS Of the 499 GDH-positive samples, 338 (68%) were sequenced and 299 distinct infections/colonizations were identified, 229/299 (77%) with toxin genes. Only 39/229 (17%) toxigenic isolates were related within ≤2 SNPs to ≥1 infections/colonizations from a previously sampled patient, i.e. demonstrated evidence of possible transmission. Independent predictors of possible transmission included healthcare exposure in the last 12 weeks (P = 0.002, with rates varying by hospital), infection with MLST types ST-1 (ribotype 027) and ST-11 (predominantly ribotype 078) compared with all other toxigenic STs (P < 0.001), and cephalosporin exposure in the potential transmission recipient (P = 0.02). Adjusting for all these factors, there was no additional effect of ward workload (P = 0.54) or failure to meet cleaning targets (P = 0.25). Use of antimicrobials is higher in North Wales compared with England and the rest of Wales. CONCLUSIONS Levels of transmission detected by WGS were comparable to previously described rates in endemic settings; other explanations, such as variations in antimicrobial use, are required to explain the high levels of CDI. Cephalosporins are a risk factor for infection with C. difficile from another infected or colonized case.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Eyre
- Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, England, UK.,Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, England, UK
| | - Robert Shaw
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, England, UK
| | - Helen Adams
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales, UK
| | - Tracey Cooper
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bangor, Wales, UK
| | - Derrick W Crook
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, England, UK
| | | | - Phil Mannion
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Rhyl, Wales, UK
| | - Mari Morgan
- Public Health Wales, Health Protection, Capital Quarter, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Trefor Morris
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology, Heath Hospital, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Michael Perry
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology, Heath Hospital, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Sophie Jones
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology, Heath Hospital, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Tim E A Peto
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, England, UK
| | - Jonathan Sutton
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales, UK
| | - A Sarah Walker
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, England, UK
| | - Dafydd Williams
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales, UK
| | - Noel Craine
- Public Health Wales, Health Protection, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales, UK
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Figueroa Castro CE, Munoz-Price LS. Advances in Infection Control for Clostridioides (Formerly Clostridium) difficile Infection. CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40506-019-0179-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Endres BT, Begum K, Sun H, Walk ST, Memariani A, Lancaster C, Gonzales-Luna AJ, Dotson KM, Bassères E, Offiong C, Tupy S, Kuper K, Septimus E, Arafat R, Alam MJ, Zhao Z, Hurdle JG, Savidge TC, Garey KW. Epidemic Clostridioides difficile Ribotype 027 Lineages: Comparisons of Texas Versus Worldwide Strains. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019; 6:ofz013. [PMID: 30793006 PMCID: PMC6368847 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The epidemic Clostridioides difficile ribotype 027 strain resulted from the dissemination of 2 separate fluoroquinolone-resistant lineages: FQR1 and FQR2. Both lineages were reported to originate in North America; however, confirmatory large-scale investigations of C difficile ribotype 027 epidemiology using whole genome sequencing has not been undertaken in the United States. Methods Whole genome sequencing and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis was performed on 76 clinical ribotype 027 isolates obtained from hospitalized patients in Texas with C difficile infection and compared with 32 previously sequenced worldwide strains. Maximum-likelihood phylogeny based on a set of core genome SNPs was used to construct phylogenetic trees investigating strain macro- and microevolution. Bayesian phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were used to incorporate temporal and geographic variables with the SNP strain analysis. Results Whole genome sequence analysis identified 2841 SNPs including 900 nonsynonymous mutations, 1404 synonymous substitutions, and 537 intergenic changes. Phylogenetic analysis separated the strains into 2 prominent groups, which grossly differed by 28 SNPs: the FQR1 and FQR2 lineages. Five isolates were identified as pre-epidemic strains. Phylogeny demonstrated unique clustering and resistance genes in Texas strains indicating that spatiotemporal bias has defined the microevolution of ribotype 027 genetics. Conclusions Clostridioides difficile ribotype 027 lineages emerged earlier than previously reported, coinciding with increased use of fluoroquinolones. Both FQR1 and FQR2 ribotype 027 epidemic lineages are present in Texas, but they have evolved geographically to represent region-specific public health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley T Endres
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | - Khurshida Begum
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | - Hua Sun
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Seth T Walk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman
| | - Ali Memariani
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | - Chris Lancaster
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | - Anne J Gonzales-Luna
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | - Kierra M Dotson
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | - Eugénie Bassères
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | | | - Shawn Tupy
- Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin
| | - Kristi Kuper
- Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence, Vizient, Houston, Texas
| | - Edward Septimus
- Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - M Jahangir Alam
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Julian G Hurdle
- Center for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Houston
| | - Tor C Savidge
- Texas Children's Microbiome Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kevin W Garey
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
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Molecular epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection in Iranian hospitals. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2019; 8:12. [PMID: 30675339 PMCID: PMC6332892 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-018-0454-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is known as one of the most important causes of nosocomial infections. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of Clostridium difficile in the stool of hospitalized patients with diarrhea as well as in their environments. Methods C. difficile isolates were characterized according to the presence of toxin genes and antibiotic resistance. Multilocus Sequence Typing Analysis (MLST) was applied for finding the genetic polymorphism and relationship among strain lineages. Results A total of 821 samples (574 stools and 247 swabs) were collected between April 2015 and May 2017. The prevalence of C. difficile isolates was 28.6% (164/574) in patients and 19% (47/247) in swabs taken from medical devices, hands of healthcare workers and skin patient sites. Finally, 11.5% (66/574) toxigenic C. difficile strains isolated from stool samples of inpatients and 4.4% (11/247) from hands of healthcare workers and skin patient sites. All the toxigenic isolates were inhibited by a low concentration of vancomycin (MIC < 0.5 μg/ml). About 43% (33/77) and 39% of isolates were resistant to Clindamycin and moxifloxacin respectively. All isolates were susceptible to metronidazole. Toxigenic C. difficile strains were analyzed by MLST and were divided into 4 different STs. The detected types were ST-54 (57.9%), followed by ST-2 (31.6. %), ST-15 (5.3%) and ST-37 (5.3%), while none of the isolates were identified as ST-1 or ST-11. Significant risk factors for CDI appear to be advanced age, undergoing chemotherapy, previous surgery, and residence in the nursing home. Conclusions CDI is common in Iran and further studies are recommended to monitor its epidemiological variations. Moreover, greater attempts must be made to encourage antibiotic stewardship by healthcare workers and the public.
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Tokimatsu I, Shigemura K, Osawa K, Kinugawa S, Kitagawa K, Nakanishi N, Yoshida H, Arakawa S, Fujisawa M. Molecular epidemiologic study of Clostridium difficile infections in university hospitals: Results of a nationwide study in Japan. J Infect Chemother 2018; 24:641-647. [PMID: 29685855 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2018.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a nationwide molecular epidemiological study of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in Japan investigated the correlation between the presence of binary toxin genes and CDI severity. This is the first report on molecular epidemiological analyses for CDI in multiple university hospitals in Japan, to our knowledge. We examined 124,484 hospitalized patients in 25 national and public university hospitals in Japan between December 2013 and March 2014, investigating antimicrobial susceptibilities and toxin-related genes for C. difficile isolates from stools. Epidemiological genetic typing was performed by PCR-ribotyping and repetitive sequence-based (rep)-PCR to examine the genetic similarities. The results detected toxin A-positive, toxin B-positive, binary toxin-negative (A+B+CDT-) detected from 135 isolates (80.8%) and toxin A-negative, toxin B-positive, binary toxin-negative (A- B+CDT-) in 23 (13.8%). Toxin A-positive, toxin B-positive, and binary toxin-positive (A+B+CDT+) were seen in 9 isolates (5.4%). Vancomycin (n = 81, 37.7%) or metronidazole (n = 88, 40.9%) therapies were undertaken in analyzed cases. Ribotypes detected from isolates were 017/subgroup 1, 070, 078, 126, 176, 449, 475/subgroup 1, 499, 451, 566 and newtypes. Rep-PCR classified 167 isolates into 28 cluster groups including 2-15 isolates. In addition, 2 pairs of strains isolated from different institutions belonged to the same clusters. Seven out of 9 (77.8%) of the patients with binary toxin producing strains had "mild to moderate" outcome in evaluated symptoms. In conclusion, we found that binary toxin did not show regional specificity and had no relevance to severity of CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Issei Tokimatsu
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Japan
| | - Katsumi Shigemura
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Japan; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of International Health, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan; Division of Urology, Department of Organ Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
| | - Kayo Osawa
- Division of Biophysics, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Science, Kobe, Japan
| | - Shinya Kinugawa
- Division of Biophysics, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Science, Kobe, Japan
| | - Koichi Kitagawa
- Division of Translational Research for Biologics, Department of Internal Medicine Related, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Noriko Nakanishi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Kobe Institute of Health, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Yoshida
- Division of Biophysics, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Science, Kobe, Japan; Hyogo Clinical Laboratory Corporation, Himeji, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Soichi Arakawa
- Department of Urology, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Masato Fujisawa
- Division of Urology, Department of Organ Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
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Environmental transmission of Clostridioides difficile ribotype 027 at a long-term care facility; an outbreak investigation guided by whole genome sequencing. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018; 39:1322-1329. [PMID: 30253813 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2018.230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This article describes a CDI outbreak in a long-term care (LTC) facility that used molecular typing techniques and whole-genome sequencing to identify widespread dissemination of the clonal strain in the environment which was successfully removed after terminal cleaning. SETTING This study was conducted in a long-term care facility in Texas. METHODS A recently hospitalized LTC patient was diagnosed with CDI followed shortly thereafter by 7 subsequent CDI cases. A stool specimen was obtained from each patient for culturing and typing. An environmental point-prevalence study of the facility was conducted before and after terminal cleaning of the facility to assess environmental contamination. Cultured isolates were typed using ribotyping, multilocus variant analysis, and whole-genome sequencing. RESULTS Stool samples were available for 5 of 8 patients; of these specimens, 4 grew toxigenic C. difficile ribotype 027. Of 50 environmental swab samples collected throughout the facility prior to the facility-wide terminal cleaning, 19 (38%) grew toxigenic C. difficile (most commonly ribotype 027, 79%). The terminal cleaning was effective at reducing C. difficile spores in the environment and at eradicating the ribotype 027 strain (P<.001). Using multilocus variance analysis and whole-genome sequencing, clinical and environmental strains were highly related and, in some cases, were identical. CONCLUSION Using molecular typing techniques, we demonstrated reduced environmental contamination with toxigenic C. difficile and the eradication of a ribotype 027 clone. These techniques may help direct infection control efforts and decrease the burden of CDI in the healthcare system.
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Kiu R, Hall LJ. An update on the human and animal enteric pathogen Clostridium perfringens. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018; 7:141. [PMID: 30082713 PMCID: PMC6079034 DOI: 10.1038/s41426-018-0144-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens, a rapid-growing pathogen known to secrete an arsenal of >20 virulent toxins, has been associated with intestinal diseases in both animals and humans throughout the past century. Recent advances in genomic analysis and experimental systems make it timely to re-visit this clinically and veterinary important pathogen. This Review will summarise our understanding of the genomics and virulence-linked factors, including antimicrobial potentials and secreted toxins of this gut pathogen, and then its up-to-date clinical epidemiology and biological role in the pathogenesis of several important human and animal-associated intestinal diseases, including pre-term necrotising enterocolitis. Finally, we highlight some of the important unresolved questions in relation to C. perfringens-mediated infections, and implications for future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Kiu
- Gut Microbes and Health Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.,Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Lindsay J Hall
- Gut Microbes and Health Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
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Brown AWW, Wilson RB. Clostridium difficile colitis and zoonotic origins-a narrative review. Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf) 2018; 6:157-166. [PMID: 30151199 PMCID: PMC6101521 DOI: 10.1093/gastro/goy016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is a major cause of hospital-associated diarrhoea, and in severe cases leads to pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon. The frequency of C. difficile infection (CDI) has increased in recent decades, with 453 000 cases identified in 2011 in the USA. This is related to antibiotic-selection pressure, disruption of normal host intestinal microbiota and emergence of antibiotic-resistant C. difficile strains. The burden of community-acquired CDI has been increasingly appreciated, with disease identified in patients previously considered low-risk, such as young women or patients with no prior antibiotic exposure. C. difficile has been identified in livestock animals, meat products, seafood and salads. It has been postulated that the pool of C. difficile in the agricultural industry may contribute to human CDI. There is widespread environmental dispersal of C. difficile spores. Domestic households, turf lawns and public spaces are extensively contaminated, providing a potential reservoir for community-acquired CDI. In Australia, this is particularly associated with porcine-derived C. difficile UK PCR ribotype 014/020. In this article, the epidemiological differences between hospital- and community-acquired CDI are discussed, including some emerging evidence for community-acquired CDI being a possible zoonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander W W Brown
- General Surgery Department, Liverpool Hospital, Elizabeth St, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert B Wilson
- General Surgery Department, Liverpool Hospital, Elizabeth St, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
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Giancola S, Williams R, Gentry C. Prevalence of the Clostridium difficile BI/NAP1/027 strain across the United States Veterans Health Administration. Clin Microbiol Infect 2018; 24:877-881. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2017.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Spagnolo AM, Sartini M, Battistella A, Casini B, Lo Pinto G, Schinca E, Cristina ML. A Clostridium difficile outbreak in an Italian hospital: the efficacy of the multi-disciplinary and multifaceted approach. JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND HYGIENE 2018; 59:E132-E138. [PMID: 30083620 PMCID: PMC6069399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We described an outbreak of C. difficile that occurred in the Internal Medicine department of an Italian hospital and assessed the efficacy of the measures adopted to manage the outbreak. METHODS The outbreak involved 15 patients and was identified by means of continuous integrated microbiological surveillance, starting with laboratory data (alert organism surveillance). Diarrheal fecal samples from patients with suspected infection by C. difficile underwent rapid membrane immuno-enzymatic testing, which detects both the presence of the glutamate dehydrogenase antigen and the presence of the A and B toxins. Extensive microbiological sampling was carried out both before and after sanitation of the environment, in order to assess the efficacy of the sanitation procedure. RESULTS The outbreak lasted one and a half month, during which time the Committee for the Prevention of Hospital Infections ordered the implementation of multiple interventions, which enabled the outbreak to be controlled and the occurrence of new cases to be progressively prevented. The strategies adopted mainly involved patient isolation, reinforcement of proper hand hygiene techniques, antimicrobial stewardship and environmental decontamination by means of chlorine-based products. Moreover, the multifaceted management of the outbreak involved numerous sessions of instruction/training for nursing staff and socio-sanitary operatives during the outbreak. Sampling of environmental surfaces enabled two sites contaminated by C. difficile to be identified. CONCLUSIONS Joint planning of multiple infection control practices, together with effective communication and collaboration between the Hospital Infections Committee and the ward involved proved to be successful in controlling the outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Spagnolo
- UO SSD Hospital Hygiene, Galliera Hospital, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy
| | - M. Sartini
- UO SSD Hospital Hygiene, Galliera Hospital, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy
| | | | - B. Casini
- Department of Translational Research, New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy
| | | | - E. Schinca
- UO SSD Hospital Hygiene, Galliera Hospital, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy
| | - M. L. Cristina
- UO SSD Hospital Hygiene, Galliera Hospital, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy
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Eyre DW, Fawley WN, Rajgopal A, Settle C, Mortimer K, Goldenberg SD, Dawson S, Crook DW, Peto TEA, Walker AS, Wilcox MH. Comparison of Control of Clostridium difficile Infection in Six English Hospitals Using Whole-Genome Sequencing. Clin Infect Dis 2018; 65:433-441. [PMID: 28575285 PMCID: PMC5850028 DOI: 10.1093/cid/cix338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. Variation in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates between healthcare institutions suggests overall incidence could be reduced if the lowest rates could be achieved more widely. Methods. We used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of consecutive C. difficile isolates from 6 English hospitals over 1 year (2013–14) to compare infection control performance. Fecal samples with a positive initial screen for C. difficile were sequenced. Within each hospital, we estimated the proportion of cases plausibly acquired from previous cases. Results. Overall, 851/971 (87.6%) sequenced samples contained toxin genes, and 451 (46.4%) were fecal-toxin-positive. Of 652 potentially toxigenic isolates >90-days after the study started, 128 (20%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 17–23%) were genetically linked (within ≤2 single nucleotide polymorphisms) to a prior patient’s isolate from the previous 90 days. Hospital 2 had the fewest linked isolates, 7/105 (7%, 3–13%), hospital 1, 9/70 (13%, 6–23%), and hospitals 3–6 had similar proportions of linked isolates (22–26%) (P ≤ .002 comparing hospital-2 vs 3–6). Results were similar adjusting for locally circulating ribotypes. Adjusting for hospital, ribotype-027 had the highest proportion of linked isolates (57%, 95% CI 29–81%). Fecal-toxin-positive and toxin-negative patients were similarly likely to be a potential transmission donor, OR = 1.01 (0.68–1.49). There was no association between the estimated proportion of linked cases and testing rates. Conclusions. WGS can be used as a novel surveillance tool to identify varying rates of C. difficile transmission between institutions and therefore to allow targeted efforts to reduce CDI incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Eyre
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford
| | - Warren N Fawley
- Department of Microbiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
| | - Anu Rajgopal
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
| | | | - Kalani Mortimer
- St. Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Merseyside
| | | | - Susan Dawson
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon, United Kingdom
| | | | - Tim E A Peto
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford
| | | | - Mark H Wilcox
- Department of Microbiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
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Leong KWC, Cooley LA, Anderson TL, Gautam SS, McEwan B, Wells A, Wilson F, Hughson L, O'Toole RF. Emergence of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium at an Australian Hospital: A Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:6274. [PMID: 29674657 PMCID: PMC5908837 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24614-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2015, a marked increase in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) isolation was detected at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Australia. The primary objective of this work was to examine the dynamics of VREfm transmission using whole genome data mapped to public health surveillance information. Screening and clinical isolates of VREfm from patients were typed for the specific vancomycin-resistance locus present. Of total isolates collected from 2014-2016 (n = 222), 15.3% and 84.7% harboured either the vanA or the vanB vancomycin-resistance locus, respectively. Whole-genome sequencing of 80 isolates was performed in conjunction with single-nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) analysis and in silico multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Among the isolates sequenced, 5 phylogenetic clades were identified. The largest vanB clade belonged to MLST sequence type ST796 and contained clinical isolates from VREfm infections that clustered closely with isolates from colonised patients. Correlation of VREfm genotypes with spatio-temporal patient movements detected potential points of transmission within the hospital. ST80 emerged as the major vanA sequence type for which the most likely index case of a patient cluster was ascertained from SNP analyses. This work has identified the dominant clones associated with increased VREfm prevalence in a healthcare setting, and their likely direction of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin W C Leong
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Louise A Cooley
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Tara L Anderson
- Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Tasmanian Infection Prevention and Control Unit, Department of Health and Human Services, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Sanjay S Gautam
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Anne Wells
- Tasmanian Infection Prevention and Control Unit, Department of Health and Human Services, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Fiona Wilson
- Tasmanian Infection Prevention and Control Unit, Department of Health and Human Services, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Lucy Hughson
- Tasmanian Infection Prevention and Control Unit, Department of Health and Human Services, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ronan F O'Toole
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
- Trinity College Dublin, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Dublin, Ireland.
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Schürch A, Arredondo-Alonso S, Willems R, Goering R. Whole genome sequencing options for bacterial strain typing and epidemiologic analysis based on single nucleotide polymorphism versus gene-by-gene–based approaches. Clin Microbiol Infect 2018; 24:350-354. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2017.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Moradigaravand D, Gouliouris T, Ludden C, Reuter S, Jamrozy D, Blane B, Naydenova P, Judge K, H. Aliyu S, F. Hadjirin N, A. Holmes M, Török E, M. Brown N, Parkhill J, Peacock S. Genomic survey of Clostridium difficile reservoirs in the East of England implicates environmental contamination of wastewater treatment plants by clinical lineages. Microb Genom 2018; 4:e000162. [PMID: 29498619 PMCID: PMC5885014 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that patients with Clostridiumdifficile-associated diarrhoea often acquire their infecting strain before hospital admission. Wastewater is known to be a potential source of surface water that is contaminated with C. difficile spores. Here, we describe a study that used genome sequencing to compare C. difficile isolated from multiple wastewater treatment plants across the East of England and from patients with clinical disease at a major hospital in the same region. We confirmed that C. difficile from 65 patients were highly diverse and that most cases were not linked to other active cases in the hospital. In total, 186 C. difficile isolates were isolated from effluent water obtained from 18 municipal treatment plants at the point of release into the environment. Whole genome comparisons of clinical and environmental isolates demonstrated highly related populations, and confirmed extensive release of toxigenic C. difficile into surface waters. An analysis based on multilocus sequence types (STs) identified 19 distinct STs in the clinical collection and 38 STs in the wastewater collection, with 13 of 44 STs common to both clinical and wastewater collections. Furthermore, we identified five pairs of highly similar isolates (≤2 SNPs different in the core genome) in clinical and wastewater collections. Strategies to control community acquisition should consider the need for bacterial control of treated wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sandra Reuter
- University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Kim Judge
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
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Sachsenheimer FE, Yang I, Zimmermann O, Wrede C, Müller LV, Gunka K, Groß U, Suerbaum S. Genomic and phenotypic diversity of Clostridium difficile during long-term sequential recurrences of infection. Int J Med Microbiol 2018; 308:364-377. [PMID: 29490877 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with the emerging pathogen Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile might lead to colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of humans and mammals eventually resulting in antibiotic-associated diarrhea, which can be mild to possibly life-threatening. Recurrences after antibiotic treatment have been described in 15-30% of the cases and are either caused by the original (relapse) or by new strains (reinfection). In this study, we describe a patient with ongoing recurrent C. difficile infections over 13 months. During this time, ten C. difficile strains of six different ribotypes could be isolated that were further characterized by phenotypic and genomic analyses including motility and sporulation assays, growth fitness and antibiotic susceptibility as well as whole-genome sequencing. PCR ribotyping of the isolates confirmed that the recurrences were a mixture of relapses and reinfections. One recurrence was due to a mixed infection with three different strains of two different ribotypes. Furthermore, genomes were sequenced and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was carried out, which identified the strains as members of sequence types (STs) 10, 11, 14 and 76. Comparison of the genomes of isolates of the same ST originating from recurrent CDI (relapses) indicated little within-patient microevolution and some concurrent within-patient diversity of closely related strains. Isolates of ribotype 126 that are binary toxin positive differed from other ribotypes in various phenotypic aspects including motility, sporulation behavior and cell morphology. Ribotype 126 is genetically related to ribotype 078 that has been associated with increased virulence. Isolates of the ribotype 126 exhibited elongated cells and a chaining phenotype, which was confirmed by membrane staining and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, this strain exhibits a sinking behavior in liquid medium in stationary growth phase. Taken together, our observation has proven multiple CDI recurrences that were based on a mixture of relapses and reinfections.
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Affiliation(s)
- F E Sachsenheimer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - I Yang
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany; Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science, Hannover Medical School, Stadtfelddamm 34, Hannover, Germany
| | - O Zimmermann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, Göttingen, Germany
| | - C Wrede
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany
| | - L V Müller
- National Consulting Laboratory for Clostridium difficile, Germany
| | - K Gunka
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, Göttingen, Germany
| | - U Groß
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, Göttingen, Germany
| | - S Suerbaum
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany; Max von Pettenkofer Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 Munich, Germany; DZIF German Center for Infection Research, Hannover-Braunschweig and Munich Partner Sites, Germany
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46
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Durovic A, Widmer AF, Tschudin-Sutter S. New insights into transmission of Clostridium difficile infection-narrative review. Clin Microbiol Infect 2018; 24:483-492. [PMID: 29427800 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2018.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditionally, Clostridium difficile has been considered a typical healthcare-associated pathogen-that is, one transmitted within healthcare facilities and thus prevented by implementation of standard infection control measures. Recently this concept has been challenged by studies suggesting a relevant role for community acquisition of C. difficile. AIMS To discusses the current literature, compiled during the last decade, reporting on sources of acquisition of C. difficile and subsequent transmission. SOURCES The databases PubMed, Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Database were searched for articles published from 1 January 2007 to 30 June 2017 reporting on possible transmission pathways of C. difficile and/or suggesting a source of acquisition of C. difficile. All study types reporting on adult populations were considered; case reports and series were excluded. The PRISMA guidelines for the reporting of systematic reviews were followed. CONTENT Among 24 original articles included, 63% report on transmission of C. difficile in healthcare settings and 37% investigate sources and transmission of C. difficile in the community. Contact with symptomatic carriers (53.3%), the hospital environment (40.0%) and asymptomatic carriers (20%) were the most commonly reported transmission pathways within healthcare settings. The leading sources for acquisition of C. difficile in the community include direct contact with symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers in the community, including infants (30%) and residents of long-term non-acute care facilities (30%), followed by contact with contaminated environments in outpatient care settings (20%) and exposure to livestock or livestock farms (20%). IMPLICATIONS In healthcare settings, future control efforts may need to focus on extending cleaning and disinfection procedures beyond the immediate surroundings of symptomatic carriers. Potential targets to prevent acquisition of C. difficile in the community include household settings, long-term care facilities and outpatient settings, while the role of livestock in entertaining transmission requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Durovic
- Medical University Department, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland
| | - A F Widmer
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, University Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - S Tschudin-Sutter
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, University Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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47
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Peng Z, Ling L, Stratton CW, Li C, Polage CR, Wu B, Tang YW. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Clostridium difficile infections. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018; 7:15. [PMID: 29434201 PMCID: PMC5837143 DOI: 10.1038/s41426-017-0019-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea worldwide. The diagnosis of C. difficile infection (CDI) requires both clinical manifestations and a positive laboratory test for C. difficile and/or its toxins. While antibiotic therapy is the treatment of choice for CDI, there are relatively few classes of effective antibiotics currently available. Therefore, the development of novel antibiotics and/or alternative treatment strategies for CDI has received a great deal of attention in recent years. A number of emerging agents such as cadazolid, surotomycin, ridinilazole, and bezlotoxumab have demonstrated activity against C. difficile; some of these have been approved for limited clinical use and some are in clinical trials. In addition, other approaches such as early and accurate diagnosis of CDI as well as disease prevention are important for clinical management. While the toxigenic culture and the cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay are still recognized as the gold standard for the diagnosis of CDI, new diagnostic approaches such as nucleic acid amplification methods have become available. In this review, we will discuss both current and emerging diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Lifen Ling
- The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Charles W Stratton
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Chunhui Li
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Christopher R Polage
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Internal Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Bin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Yi-Wei Tang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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48
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Smits WK, Weese JS, Roberts AP, Harmanus C, Hornung B. A helicase-containing module defines a family of pCD630-like plasmids in Clostridium difficile. Anaerobe 2018; 49:78-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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49
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Epidemiological aspects of healthcare-associated infections and microbial genomics. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 37:823-831. [PMID: 29340898 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-017-3170-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a cause of continuously increasing morbidity and mortality. Most of these infections are caused by a limited set of bacterial species, which share the capability to efficiently spread from patient to patient and to easily acquire antibiotic resistance determinants. This renders correct and rapid species identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) important and underscores the relevance of bacterial epidemiological typing. The latter is needed for the sensitive detection and exact tracing of nosocomial spread of these potentially multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDRO). Many microbial typing technologies have been developed and put to some level of executive practice, but it seems that the continued evolution in methodology has currently reached an apex: there is likely to be scientific and practical consensus on the ultimate typing potential of bacterial whole-genome sequencing (WGS). The possibility to perform pan-genomic nucleotide-to-nucleotide comparisons between strains belonging to a single species and to detect even minute changes in nucleotide order will identify closely related organisms, while upon accumulation of such mutations, independent descend can be assumed. Calibration of difference levels [i.e. number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)] into categories of inter-strain relatedness needs to be performed in order to generate robust, portable typing schemes. Here, we will briefly discuss the state of affairs regarding bacterial epidemiology based upon WGS, its relatedness with the nomenclature of former typing approaches and the continuing need for a global typing language.
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50
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Comparative Genomics of Clostridium difficile. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1050:59-75. [PMID: 29383664 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-72799-8_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile, a gram-positive spore-forming anaerobic bacterium, has rapidly emerged as the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhoea in hospitals. The availability of genome sequences in large numbers, mainly due to the use of next-generation sequencing methods, have undoubtedly shown their immense advantages in the determination of the C. difficile population structure. The implementation of fine-scale comparative genomic approaches have paved the way to global transmission and recurrence studies, but also more targeted studies such as the PaLoc or the CRISPR/Cas systems. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the recent and significant findings on C. difficile using comparative genomics studies with implication for the epidemiology, infection control and understanding of the evolution of C. difficile.
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