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Ramos CP, Siqueira WF, Viana LA, Cunha JLR, Fujiwara RT, Amarante VS, Souza TGV, Silva ROS. Development of two recombinant vaccines against Clostridioides difficile infection and immunogenicity in pregnant sows and neonatal piglets. Anaerobe 2024; 89:102896. [PMID: 39127403 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2024.102896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Clostridioides difficile is the main cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in humans and is a major enteropathogen in several animal species. In newborn piglets, colonic lesions caused by C. difficile A and B toxins (TcdA and TcdB, respectively) cause diarrhea and significant production losses. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to develop two recombinant vaccines from immunogenic C-terminal fragments of TcdA and TcdB and evaluate the immune response in rabbits and in breeding sows. Two vaccines were produced: bivalent (rAB), consisting of recombinant fragments of TcdA and TcdB, and chimeric (rQAB), corresponding to the synthesis of the same fragments in a single protein. Groups of rabbits were inoculated with 10 or 50 μg of proteins adjuvanted with aluminum or 0.85 % sterile saline in a final volume of 1 mL/dose. Anti-TcdA and anti-TcdB IgG antibodies were detected in rabbits and sows immunized with both rAB and rQAB vaccines by ELISA. The vaccinated sows were inoculated intramuscularly with 20 μg/dose using a prime-boost approach. RESULTS Different antibody titers (p ≤ 0.05) were observed among the vaccinated groups of sows (rAB and rQAB) and control. Additionally, newborn piglets from vaccinated sows were also positive for anti-TcdA and anti-TcdB IgGs, in contrast to control piglets (p ≤ 0.05). Immunization of sows with the rQAB vaccine conferred higher anti-TcdA and anti-TcdB responses in piglets, suggesting the superiority of this compound over rAB. CONCLUSION The synthesized recombinant proteins were capable of inducing antibody titers against C. difficile toxins A and B in sows, and were passively transferred to piglets through colostrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina P Ramos
- Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Williane F Siqueira
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Laila A Viana
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - João L R Cunha
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Ricardo T Fujiwara
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Victor S Amarante
- Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Thayanne G V Souza
- Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo O S Silva
- Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
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Cerri FM, Basso RM, Pereira WAB, Silveira JMDS, Ferreira EDO, Haisi A, Araújo Júnior JP, Arroyo LG, de Castro YG, Silva ROS, Oliveira-Filho JPD, Borges AS. Fecal shedding of Clostridioides difficile in calves in Sao Paulo state, Brazil. Anaerobe 2024; 88:102861. [PMID: 38729514 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2024.102861] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the fecal shedding of C. difficile in calves on farms in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fecal samples (n = 300) were collected from diarrheic (n = 78) and nondiarrheic (n = 222) calves less than 60 days of age from 20 farms. Fecal samples were inoculated into enrichment broth supplemented with taurocholate and cultured under anaerobic conditions. Colonies suspected to be C. difficile were harvested for DNA extraction and then multiplex PCR for the detection of genes encoding toxins A and B and binary toxins. All toxigenic isolates were ribotyped and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, and five selected strains were subjected to whole-genome sequencing to determine their sequence type. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION C. difficile was isolated from 29.3 % (88/300) of the samples. All toxigenic isolates (17/88, 19.3 %) were classified as ribotypes RT046 (13/17-79.47 %, A+B+ CDT-) and RT126 (4/17 = 20.53 %, A+B+ CDT+). The sequenced strains from RT046 were classified as ST35 (Clade 1), while those from RT126 were classified as ST11 (Clade 5). No associations between the epidemiological factors in any of the groups and C. difficile isolation were observed. Most of the toxigenic isolates (16/17 = 94.41 %) were classified as multidrug-resistant. Calves can be an important source of toxigenic C. difficile strains, including multidrug-resistant isolates from ribotypes commonly observed in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrício Moreira Cerri
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberta Martins Basso
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Júlia Meireles da Silva Silveira
- Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Paulo de Góes Institute of Microbiology (IMPG), Department of Medical Microbiology, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eliane de Oliveira Ferreira
- Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Paulo de Góes Institute of Microbiology (IMPG), Department of Medical Microbiology, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Amanda Haisi
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biotechnology (IBTEC), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Luis G Arroyo
- University of Guelph, Ontario Veterinary College, Department of Clinical Studies, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yasmin Gonçalves de Castro
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), School of Veterinary Medicine (EV), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - José Paes de Oliveira-Filho
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Secorun Borges
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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Spigaglia P, Barbanti F, Faccini S, Vescovi M, Criscuolo EM, Ceruti R, Gaspano C, Rosignoli C. Clostridioides difficile in Pigs and Dairy Cattle in Northern Italy: Prevalence, Characterization and Comparison between Animal and Human Strains. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1738. [PMID: 37512910 PMCID: PMC10383565 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been observed that novel strains of Clostridioides difficile can rapidly emerge and move between animal and human hosts. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of C. difficile in pigs and dairy cattle in northern Italy and to characterize and compare C. difficile animal strains with those from patients from the same geographical area. The C. difficile strains were isolated from animals from farms and slaughterhouses (cross-sectional studies) and from neonatal animals with enteric disorders in routine diagnostic investigations (passive surveillance). Samples positive for C. difficile were found in 87% of the pig farms and in 40% of the cattle farms involved in the cross-sectional studies, with a 20% prevalence among suckling piglets and 6.7% prevalence in neonatal calves, with no significant difference between animals with and without diarrheal symptoms. The prevalence of C. difficile in older animal categories was significantly lower. This result suggests that young age is an important risk factor for C. difficile colonization. In cross-sectional studies at slaughterhouses, in both the heavy pigs and dairy cows examined, only 2% of the intestinal content samples were positive for C. difficile and no contamination was found on the surface of the carcasses. Considering passive surveillance, the prevalence rates of positive samples were 29% in piglets and 1.4% in calves. Overall, 267 strains of animal origin and 97 from humans were collected. In total, 39 ribotypes (RTs) were identified, with RT 078 and RT 018 being predominant among animals and humans, respectively. Several RTs overlapped between animals and patients. In particular, RT 569 was identified as an emergent type in our country. Resistance to erythromycin and moxifloxacin was widely diffused among C. difficile strains, regardless of origin. This study supports C. difficile as a pathogen of one-health importance and highlights the need for a collaborative approach between physicians and veterinarians to control and prevent infections that are able to cross species and geographical barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Spigaglia
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Barbanti
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Silvia Faccini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini", Sede Territoriale di Mantova, 46100 Mantova, Italy
| | - Mariella Vescovi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini", Sede Territoriale di Mantova, 46100 Mantova, Italy
| | | | - Rossella Ceruti
- Servizio di Medicina di Laboratorio, ASST Ospedale "Carlo Poma", 46100 Mantova, Italy
| | - Clara Gaspano
- Servizio di Medicina di Laboratorio, ASST Ospedale "Carlo Poma", 46100 Mantova, Italy
| | - Carlo Rosignoli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini", Sede Territoriale di Mantova, 46100 Mantova, Italy
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Tsekouras N, Meletis E, Kostoulas P, Labronikou G, Athanasakopoulou Z, Christodoulopoulos G, Billinis C, Papatsiros VG. Detection of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Clostridia in the Aetiology of Neonatal Piglet Diarrhoea: Important Factors for Their Prevention. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051092. [PMID: 37240738 DOI: 10.3390/life13051092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to research the involvement of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and C. difficile or C. perfringens type C in the aetiology of neonatal piglet diarrhoea in Greece and to identify preventive factors for them. A total of 78 pooled faecal samples were collected randomly from 234 suckling piglets (1-4 days of age) with diarrhoea from 26 pig farms (3 piglets × 3 litters × 26 farms = 234 piglets = 78 faecal pool samples). The collected samples were initially screened for the presence of E. coli and C. difficile or C. perfringens via cultivation on MacConkey and anaerobic blood agar, respectively. Subsequently, the samples were pooled on ELUTE cards. From samples tested, 69.23% of those in the farms were ETEC F4-positive, 30.77% were ETEC F5-positive, 61.54% ETEC were F6-positive, 42.31% were ETEC F4- and E. coli enterotoxin LT-positive, 19.23% were ETEC F5- and LT-positive, 42.31% were ETEC F6- and LT-positive, while LT was found in 57.69% of those in the farms. C. difficile was involved in many cases and identified as an emerging neonatal diarrhoea etiological agent. Specifically, Toxin A of C. difficile was found in 84.62% and Toxin B in 88.46% of those in the farms. Antibiotic administration to sows in combination with probiotics or acidifiers was revealed to reduce the detection of antigens of ETEC and the enterotoxin LT of E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Tsekouras
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | - Eleftherios Meletis
- Faculty of Public and Integrated Health, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | - Polychronis Kostoulas
- Faculty of Public and Integrated Health, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | | | - Zoi Athanasakopoulou
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | - Georgios Christodoulopoulos
- Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, Botanikos, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Charalambos Billinis
- Faculty of Public and Integrated Health, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | - Vasileios G Papatsiros
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
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Uzal FA, Navarro MA, Asin J, Boix O, Ballarà-Rodriguez I, Gibert X. Clostridial diarrheas in piglets: A review. Vet Microbiol 2023; 280:109691. [PMID: 36870204 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2023.109691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens type C and Clostridioides difficile are the main enteric clostridial pathogens of swine and are both responsible for neonatal diarrhea in this species. The role of Clostridum perfringes type A is under discussion. History, clinical signs, gross lesions and histological findings are the basis for a presumptive diagnosis of C. perfringens type C or C. difficile infection. Confirmation is based upon detection of beta toxin of C. perfringens type C or toxin A/B of C. difficile, respectively, in intestinal contents or feces. Isolation of C. perfringens type C and/or C. difficile is highly suggestive of infection by these microorganisms but it is not enough to confirm a diagnosis as they may be found in the intestine of some healthy individuals. Diagnosis of C. perfringens type A-associated diarrhea is more challenging because the diagnostic criteria have not been well defined and the specific role of alpha toxin (encoded by all strains of this microorganism) and beta 2 toxin (produced by some type A strains) is not clear. The goal of this paper is to describe the main clostridial enteric diseases of piglets, including etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, pathology and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco A Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, 105 W Central Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USA.
| | - Mauricio A Navarro
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Javier Asin
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, 105 W Central Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USA
| | - Oriol Boix
- HIPRA, Avda. la Selva 135, CP 17170 Amer (Girona), Spain
| | | | - Xavier Gibert
- HIPRA, Avda. la Selva 135, CP 17170 Amer (Girona), Spain
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Diagnostic Approach to Enteric Disorders in Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030338. [PMID: 36766227 PMCID: PMC9913336 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of enteric disorders in pigs is extremely challenging, at any age. Outbreaks of enteric disease in pigs are frequently multifactorial and multiple microorganisms can co-exist and interact. Furthermore, several pathogens, such as Clostridium perfrigens type A, Rotavirus and Lawsonia intracellularis, may be present in the gut in the absence of clinical signs. Thus, diagnosis must be based on a differential approach in order to develop a tailored control strategy, considering that treatment and control programs for enteric diseases are pathogen-specific. Correct sampling for laboratory analyses is fundamental for the diagnostic work-up of enteric disease in pigs. For example, histology is the diagnostic gold standard for several enteric disorders, and sampling must ensure the collection of representative and optimal intestinal samples. The aim of this paper is to focus on the diagnostic approach, from sampling to the aetiological diagnosis, of enteric disorders in pigs due to different pathogens during the different phases of production.
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Dietary autolysed yeast modulates blood profiles, small intestinal morphology and caecal microbiota of weaning pigs. Animal 2022; 16:100660. [DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Carvalho GM, Ramos CP, Lobato FCF, Guedes RMC, Giaretta PR, Silva ROS. Laboratory diagnosis of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection in domestic animals: A short review. Anaerobe 2022; 75:102574. [PMID: 35472506 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2022.102574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite the known importance of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) in animals, there are no published guidelines for the diagnosis of CDI. The performance of the available commercial methods, all standardized for human stool samples, can vary according to the animal species. Thus, the aim of the present study was to review the literature on the detection of C. difficile in pigs, horses, and dogs. The detection of toxins A and B using enzyme immunoassays seems to have low performance in piglet and dog samples, while it shows high sensitivity for the diagnosis of CDI in foals. On the other hand, tests for the detection of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) have a high sensitivity towards detection of C. difficile in animal samples, suggesting that it can be an adequate screening method. A few studies have evaluated real-time PCR or nucleic acid amplification tests in animal samples and, so far, these methods have also shown a low performance for the detection of C. difficile in animals. Although the intestinal lesions caused by CDI can vary among animal species, histopathology can be a useful auxiliary tool for postmortem diagnosis in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Muniz Carvalho
- Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627. Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Carolina Pantuzza Ramos
- Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627. Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Francisco Carlos Faria Lobato
- Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627. Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Roberto Maurício Carvalho Guedes
- Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627. Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Paula Roberta Giaretta
- Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627. Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Otávio Silveira Silva
- Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627. Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP, 31270-901, Brazil.
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Boarini-Ferroni L, Cardozo MV, Casagrande MF, Nascimento KA, Almeida HMDS, Mechler-Dreibi ML, de Oliveira LG, Schocken-Iturrino RP. Experimental inoculation and nose-to-nose transmission of Clostridioides difficile between weaned piglets. Vet Microbiol 2020; 247:108754. [PMID: 32768208 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2020.108754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In piglets, Clostridioides (C.) difficile infection presents mostly subclinical manifestation. As this agent became important in veterinary medicine due to a hypothesis of zoonosis, the objective of this study was to evaluate the transmission of C. difficile by nose-to-nose contact in young piglets. Six 20-day-old piglets were separated into three groups (infected, sentinel and control), and distributed in different isolation cabinets which allowed nose-to-nose contact only between infected and sentinel groups. The challenged group received an inoculum 106 CFU/mL of C. difficile 096 by oropharyngeal route. Rectal swab samples were daily collected for microbiological and molecular analysis. Euthanasia of all piglets was performed 18 days after challenge to evaluate anatomical, histological and microbiological lesions of the organs of these animals. The challenged and sentinel groups showed clinical signs of infection and genes encoding TcdB were detected by conventional PCR in both groups, confirming the transmission of the pathogen from the challenged to the sentinel piglets. At necropsy, tonsil, liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, ileocolic lymph nodes, jejunum, ileum, proximal colon, distal colon and cecum were collected for microbiological analysis; lesions were observed varying in degree and intensity. This study demonstrated a novel route of transmission of C. difficile between young piglets, which was proven to occur by nose-to-nose contact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Boarini-Ferroni
- Sao Paulo State University, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Campus Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Marita Vedovelli Cardozo
- Sao Paulo State University, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Campus Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Mariana Froner Casagrande
- Sao Paulo State University, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Campus Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Karla Alvarenga Nascimento
- Sao Paulo State University, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Campus Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | | | | | - Luís Guilherme de Oliveira
- Sao Paulo State University, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Campus Jaboticabal, Brazil.
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Abstract
Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that is an important cause of disease in people, a variably important cause of disease in some animal species, and an apparently harmless commensal in others. Regardless of whether it is a known pathogen in a particular species, it can also be found in healthy individuals, sometimes at high prevalences and typically with higher rates of carriage in young individuals. As it is investigated in more animal species, it is apparent that this bacterium is widely disseminated in a diverse range of domestic and wild animal species. Although it can be found in most species in which investigations have been performed, there are pronounced intra- and inter-species differences in prevalence and clinical relevance. A wide range of strains can be identified, some that appear to be animal associated and others that are found in humans and animals. A large percentage of strains that cause disease in people can at least sporadically be found in animals. It is a potentially important zoonotic pathogen, but there is limited direct evidence of animal-human transmission. Although C. difficile has been studied extensively over the past few decades, it remains an enigmatic organism in many ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Scott Weese
- Department of Pathobiology and Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Weese)
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Vidal A, Martín-Valls GE, Tello M, Mateu E, Martín M, Darwich L. Prevalence of enteric pathogens in diarrheic and non-diarrheic samples from pig farms with neonatal diarrhea in the North East of Spain. Vet Microbiol 2019; 237:108419. [PMID: 31585655 PMCID: PMC7117353 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.108419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Multiple pathogens were found in all neonatal diarrhea outbreaks. RVA was the most frequent agent associated with diarrheic cases. Other enteric pathogens can be involved in some neonatal diarrhea outbreaks. The multifactorial origin of pig diarrhea requires a personalized farm diagnosis.
Diarrhea is one of the major causes of neonatal mortality in pigs. In the present study, 31 pig farms with outbreaks of neonatal diarrhea were investigated in Catalonia (NE Spain) from February 2017 until June 2018. Two hundred and fifteen diarrheic samples from 1 to 7 days old piglets were tested for a panel of enteric pathogens. In 19 of the studied farms additional fecal samples from apparently healthy pen-mates were collected and tested for the same panel of infectious agents. Samples were bacteriologically cultured and tested by PCR for E. coli virulence factors genes, C. perfringens types A and C toxins (Cpα, Cpβ, Cpβ2) and C. difficile toxins (TcdA, TcdB). Moreover, Rotavirus A (RVA), Rotavirus B (RVB), Rotavirus C (RVC), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) were also determined by RT-qPCR. More than one pathogen could be detected in all of the outbreaks. Nevertheless, RVA was the only agent that could be statistically correlated with the outcome of diarrhea. For the other viruses and bacteria analyzed significant differences between the diseased pigs and the controls were not found. In spite of this, the individual analysis of each of the studied farms indicated that other agents such as RVB, RVC, toxigenic C. difficile or pathogenic E. coli could play a relevant role in the outbreak of diarrhea. In conclusion, the large diversity of agent combinations and disease situations detected in neonatal diarrhea outbreaks of this study stand for a more personalized diagnosis and management advice at a farm level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Vidal
- Departament de Sanitat i d'Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
| | - Gerard E Martín-Valls
- Departament de Sanitat i d'Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Montse Tello
- Departament de Sanitat i d'Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Enric Mateu
- Departament de Sanitat i d'Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; UAB, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Marga Martín
- Departament de Sanitat i d'Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; UAB, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Laila Darwich
- Departament de Sanitat i d'Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; UAB, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
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Oliveira Júnior CA, Silva ROS, Cruz DSG, Pires IH, Guedes RMC, Faria Lobato FC. The non-toxigenic strain of Clostridioides difficile Z31 can prevent infection by C. difficile in experimental model piglets. Anaerobe 2018; 55:24-28. [PMID: 30292822 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
One of the main challenges associated with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in humans and domestic animals is the lack of an effective preventive strategy. One strategy with promising results is the oral administration of non-toxigenic strains of C. difficile (NTCD). Recently, Z31, a NTCD strain isolated from a healthy dog, showed promising results to prevent CDI in hamsters. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the capacity of Z31 to prevent CDI in piglets using an experimental model. Twenty neonatal piglets were randomly distributed in three groups: G1 - 106 spores of Z31 followed by 107 spores of a toxigenic C. difficile strain (n = 7), G2 (positive control) - 107 spores of a toxigenic C. difficile strain (n = 7), and G3 (negative control) - no biological inoculum (n = 6). All animals were kept in individual insulators and observed for 60 h. Data regarding clinical signs, macro and microscopic lesions, toxigenic culture of C. difficile, and detection of A/B toxins in the feces were evaluated. All evaluated parameters were significantly lower in animals that received Z31 compared to the positive control. Thus, oral administration of Z31 was able to prevent CDI in piglets in an experimental model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Augusto Oliveira Júnior
- Veterinary School. Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Otávio Silveira Silva
- Veterinary School. Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Diogo Soares Gonçalves Cruz
- Veterinary School. Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Isadora Honorato Pires
- Veterinary School. Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Roberto Maurício Carvalho Guedes
- Veterinary School. Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Francisco Carlos Faria Lobato
- Veterinary School. Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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13
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Bandelj P, Harmanus C, Blagus R, Cotman M, Kuijper EJ, Ocepek M, Vengust M. Quantification of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile in feces of calves of different age and determination of predominant Clostridioides difficile ribotype 033 relatedness and transmission between family dairy farms using multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis. BMC Vet Res 2018; 14:298. [PMID: 30285751 PMCID: PMC6167908 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-018-1616-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community acquired Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CA-CDI) is a significant health problem in human and veterinary medicine. Animals are often considered as potential reservoirs for CA-CDI. In Europe, family farming is the most predominant farming operation, with a complex interaction between animals and the community. Therefore, it is pertinent to evaluate transmission patterns of C. difficile on such prominent European farming model. Fecal samples from calves (n = 2442) were collected biweekly over a period of one year on 20 mid-size family dairy farms. Environmental samples (n = 475) were collected in a three month interval. Clostridioides difficile was detected using qPCR in 243 fecal samples (243/2442); positive samples were then quantified. Association between prevalence/load of C. difficile and age of the calves was estimated with logistic regression model. Most common C. difficile isolate from calves (n = 76) and the environment (n = 14) was C. difficile ribotype 033, which was further analyzed using multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) to assess intra- and between-farm relatedness. RESULTS Clostridioides difficile was detected in feces of calves less than 24 h old. Results showed a non-linear statistically significant decrease in shedding load of C. difficile with age (P < 0.0001). A nonlinear relationship was also established between the number of calves and the farm C. difficile prevalence, whereas the prevalence of C. difficile ribotype 033 increased linearly with the number of calves. MLVA revealed close intra-farm relatedness among C. difficile ribotypes 033. It also revealed that the between-farms close relatedness of C. difficile ribotypes 033 can be a direct result of farm to farm trade of calves. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of better hygiene and management measures on farms may help decrease the risk of spreading CA-CDI between animals and the community. Trading calves older than 3 weeks would decrease the possibility C. difficile dissemination in the community because of lower prevalence and lower load of C. difficile in feces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bandelj
- 0000 0001 0721 6013grid.8954.0Veterinary faculty, University of Ljubljana, Cesta v Mestni log 47, SI-1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Céline Harmanus
- 0000000089452978grid.10419.3dDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Rok Blagus
- 0000 0001 0721 6013grid.8954.0Institute for biostatistics and Medical informatics, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, SI-1104 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Cotman
- 0000 0001 0721 6013grid.8954.0Veterinary faculty, University of Ljubljana, Cesta v Mestni log 47, SI-1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ed J. Kuijper
- 0000000089452978grid.10419.3dDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Matjaz Ocepek
- 0000 0001 0721 6013grid.8954.0Veterinary faculty, University of Ljubljana, Cesta v Mestni log 47, SI-1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Modest Vengust
- 0000 0001 0721 6013grid.8954.0Veterinary faculty, University of Ljubljana, Cesta v Mestni log 47, SI-1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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14
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Kongsted H, Pedersen K, Hjulsager CK, Larsen LE, Pedersen KS, Jorsal SE, Bækbo P. Diarrhoea in neonatal piglets: a case control study on microbiological findings. Porcine Health Manag 2018; 4:17. [PMID: 30186621 PMCID: PMC6120089 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-018-0094-5] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Many factors can influence the occurrence of neonatal diarrhoea in piglets. Currently, well-known pathogens such as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens type C appear to play a minor role in development of disease. Other infectious pathogens may be involved. In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence of selected infectious pathogens in neonatal piglets with clinical and pathological signs of enteric disease. The association between rotavirus A, Enterococcus hirae, Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens type A/C and diarrhoea was investigated in a case control study on piglet level. The possible role of E. coli virulence factors was investigated in a multistep-procedure using herd-pools of E.coli isolates to screen for their presence. Results Rotavirus A was detected more often in cases (25%) than in controls (6%) (P < 0.001). The detection rate of Enterococcus hirae, Clostridium difficile and C. perfringens type A positive for beta2 genes was the same in the two groups of piglets. C. perfringens type C was not detected in the study. Investigations on E. coli virulence factors showed a high prevalence of EAST1 toxin genes (55% of tested case piglets were positive) and AIDA-1 adhesin genes (63% of toxin positive case piglets were positive) in case piglets. Conclusions Detection of rotavirus A was statistically significantly associated with neonatal piglet diarrhoea. An aetiologic role of E. coli carrying virulence factors EAST1 and AIDA-1 needs further investigation as the study points out these two factors as possible causative factors in neonatal diarrhoea. Detection of E.hirae, C.difficile and C. perfringens type A carrying beta 2 genes was not associated with neonatal piglet diarrhoea. However, the study suggested that massive overgrowth by E. hirae could be part of the pathogenesis in some cases of neonatal diarrhoea. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40813-018-0094-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Kongsted
- 1Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.,SEGES Danish Pig Research Centre, Axeltorv 3, DK-1609 Copenhagen V, Denmark
| | - Karl Pedersen
- 3National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Lars Erik Larsen
- 3National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ken Steen Pedersen
- SEGES Danish Pig Research Centre, Axeltorv 3, DK-1609 Copenhagen V, Denmark
| | - Sven Erik Jorsal
- 3National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Poul Bækbo
- SEGES Danish Pig Research Centre, Axeltorv 3, DK-1609 Copenhagen V, Denmark
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15
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High prevalence of Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 078 in pigs in Korea. Anaerobe 2018; 51:42-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2018.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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Schäffler H, Breitrück A. Clostridium difficile - From Colonization to Infection. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:646. [PMID: 29692762 PMCID: PMC5902504 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is the most frequent cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) has been rising worldwide with subsequent increases in morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Asymptomatic colonization with C. difficile is common and a high prevalence has been found in specific cohorts, e.g., hospitalized patients, adults in nursing homes and in infants. However, the risk of infection with C. difficile differs significantly between these cohorts. While CDI is a clear indication for therapy, colonization with C. difficile is not believed to be a direct precursor for CDI and therefore does not require treatment. Antibiotic therapy causes alterations of the intestinal microbial composition, enabling C. difficile colonization and consecutive toxin production leading to disruption of the colonic epithelial cells. Clinical symptoms of CDI range from mild diarrhea to potentially life-threatening conditions like pseudomembranous colitis or toxic megacolon. While antibiotics are still the treatment of choice for CDI, new therapies have emerged in recent years such as antibodies against C. difficile toxin B and fecal microbial transfer (FMT). This specific therapy for CDI underscores the role of the indigenous bacterial composition in the prevention of the disease in healthy individuals and its role in the pathogenesis after alteration by antibiotic treatment. In addition to the pathogenesis of CDI, this review focuses on the colonization of C. difficile in the human gut and factors promoting CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger Schäffler
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine II, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Anne Breitrück
- Extracorporeal Immunomodulation Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Rostock, Germany.,Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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17
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Abstract
Clostridium difficile is the most frequent cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) has been rising worldwide with subsequent increases in morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Asymptomatic colonization with C. difficile is common and a high prevalence has been found in specific cohorts, e.g., hospitalized patients, adults in nursing homes and in infants. However, the risk of infection with C. difficile differs significantly between these cohorts. While CDI is a clear indication for therapy, colonization with C. difficile is not believed to be a direct precursor for CDI and therefore does not require treatment. Antibiotic therapy causes alterations of the intestinal microbial composition, enabling C. difficile colonization and consecutive toxin production leading to disruption of the colonic epithelial cells. Clinical symptoms of CDI range from mild diarrhea to potentially life-threatening conditions like pseudomembranous colitis or toxic megacolon. While antibiotics are still the treatment of choice for CDI, new therapies have emerged in recent years such as antibodies against C. difficile toxin B and fecal microbial transfer (FMT). This specific therapy for CDI underscores the role of the indigenous bacterial composition in the prevention of the disease in healthy individuals and its role in the pathogenesis after alteration by antibiotic treatment. In addition to the pathogenesis of CDI, this review focuses on the colonization of C. difficile in the human gut and factors promoting CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger Schäffler
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine II, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Anne Breitrück
- Extracorporeal Immunomodulation Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Rostock, Germany
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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18
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Diseases of the Alimentary Tract. Vet Med (Auckl) 2017. [PMCID: PMC7167529 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-7020-5246-0.00007-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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19
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Grześkowiak Ł, Zentek J, Vahjen W. Determination of the extent of Clostridium difficile colonisation and toxin accumulation in sows and neonatal piglets. Anaerobe 2016; 40:5-9. [PMID: 27108595 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2016.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is an important spore-forming, opportunistic pathogen in animal husbandry and health care. In pig farming, only neonatal piglets are affected, and diarrhoea and necrotising lesions are common symptoms leading to dehydration and in some cases death. This study aimed at the assessment of the quantitative development of C. difficile colonisation in neonatal piglets by determining the shedding of spores and C. difficile toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB) concentrations in sow (n = 5-6) and piglet pen faeces (n = 5-6) at different time points. Spores were quantified on selective agar plates and toxins using ELISA method. C. difficile was not detected in the faeces of all but one sow during the perinatal period. Faeces of 2- and 4-day-old piglets contained 0.65 log cells/g and 5.88 log cells/g of C. difficile, respectively. Toxins were detected on day 4 at a concentration of 2.13 log ng/g (TcdA) and 2.06 log ng/g (TcdB). On day 6, concentration of C. difficile reached 6.14 log CFU/g and toxins 2.02 log ng/g (TcdA) and 2.20 log ng/g (TcdB). Two-week-old piglets showed 4.72 log CFU/g of C. difficile but toxins could not be detected. At 21 days of age, both C. difficile and toxins were undetectable. The concentration and the prevalence of C. difficile were positively associated with the prevalence of toxins in piglets. A very short time window for colonisation by C. difficile, including toxin-producing strains can be observed in neonatal piglets. The significance for animal health and the risk of a carrier status need to be addressed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Grześkowiak
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise Strasse 49, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jürgen Zentek
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise Strasse 49, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wilfried Vahjen
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise Strasse 49, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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20
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Bandelj P, Blagus R, Briski F, Frlic O, Vergles Rataj A, Rupnik M, Ocepek M, Vengust M. Identification of risk factors influencing Clostridium difficile prevalence in middle-size dairy farms. Vet Res 2016; 47:41. [PMID: 26968527 PMCID: PMC4788955 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-016-0326-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Farm animals have been suggested to play an important role in the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in the community. The purpose of this study was to evaluate risk factors associated with C. difficile dissemination in family dairy farms, which are the most common farming model in the European Union. Environmental samples and fecal samples from cows and calves were collected repeatedly over a 1 year period on 20 mid-size family dairy farms. Clostridium difficile was detected in cattle feces on all farms using qPCR. The average prevalence between farms was 10% (0–44.4%) and 35.7% (3.7–66.7%) in cows and calves, respectively. Bacterial culture yielded 103 C. difficile isolates from cattle and 61 from the environment. Most C. difficile isolates were PCR-ribotype 033. A univariate mixed effect model analysis of risk factors associated dietary changes with increasing C. difficile prevalence in cows (P = 0.0004); and dietary changes (P = 0.004), breeding Simmental cattle (P = 0.001), mastitis (P = 0.003) and antibiotic treatment (P = 0.003) in calves. Multivariate analysis of risk factors found that dietary changes in cows (P = 0.0001) and calves (P = 0.002) increase C. difficile prevalence; mastitis was identified as a risk factor in calves (P = 0.001). This study shows that C. difficile is common on dairy farms and that shedding is more influenced by farm management than environmental factors. Based on molecular typing of C. difficile isolates, it could also be concluded that family dairy farms are currently not contributing to increased CDI incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bandelj
- Veterinary faculty, University of Ljubljana, cesta v Mestni log 47, 1115, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Rok Blagus
- Institute for biostatistics and Medical informatics, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1104, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Olga Frlic
- , Vinharje 6, 4223, Poljane nad Skofjo Loko, Slovenia
| | | | - Maja Rupnik
- National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Prvomajska ulica 1, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia.,Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matjaz Ocepek
- Veterinary faculty, University of Ljubljana, cesta v Mestni log 47, 1115, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Modest Vengust
- Veterinary faculty, University of Ljubljana, cesta v Mestni log 47, 1115, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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21
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Rodriguez C, Taminiau B, Van Broeck J, Delmée M, Daube G. Clostridium difficile in Food and Animals: A Comprehensive Review. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 932:65-92. [PMID: 27350639 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2016_27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Zoonoses are infections or diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans through direct contact, close proximity or the environment. Clostridium difficile is ubiquitous in the environment, and the bacterium is able to colonise the intestinal tract of both animals and humans. Since domestic and food animals frequently test positive for toxigenic C. difficile, even without showing any signs of disease, it seems plausible that C. difficile could be zoonotic. Therefore, animals could play an essential role as carriers of the bacterium. In addition, the presence of the spores in different meats, fish, fruits and vegetables suggests a risk of foodborne transmission. This review summarises the current available data on C. difficile in animals and foods, from when the bacterium was first described up to the present.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Rodriguez
- Department of Food Science, University of Liège-Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Avenue de Cureghem 10, bât 43bis Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - B Taminiau
- Department of Food Science, University of Liège-Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Avenue de Cureghem 10, bât 43bis Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - J Van Broeck
- Belgian Reference Centre for Clostridium difficile (NRC), Pôle de microbiologie médicale, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - M Delmée
- Belgian Reference Centre for Clostridium difficile (NRC), Pôle de microbiologie médicale, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - G Daube
- Department of Food Science, University of Liège-Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Avenue de Cureghem 10, bât 43bis Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium
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22
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Moono P, Putsathit P, Knight DR, Squire MM, Hampson DJ, Foster NF, Riley TV. Persistence of Clostridium difficile RT 237 infection in a Western Australian piggery. Anaerobe 2015; 37:62-6. [PMID: 26679487 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2015.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 11/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is commonly associated with healthcare-related infections in humans, and is an emerging pathogen in food animal species. There is potential for transmission of C. difficile from animals or animal products to humans. This study aimed to determine if C. difficile RT 237 had persisted in a Western Australian piggery or if there had been a temporal change in C. difficile diversity. C. difficile carriage in litters with and without diarrhea was investigated, as was the acquisition of C. difficile over time using cohort surveys. Rectal swabs were obtained from piglets aged 1-10 days to determine prevalence of C. difficile carriage and samples were obtained from 20 piglets on days 1, 7, 13, 20, and 42 of life to determine duration of shedding. Isolation of C. difficile from feces was achieved by selective enrichment culture. All isolates were characterized by standard molecular typing. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on selected isolates (n = 29). Diarrheic piglets were more likely to shed C. difficile than the non-diseased (p = 0.0124, χ2). In the cohort study, C. difficile was isolated from 40% samples on day 1, 50% on day 7, 20% on day 13, and 0% on days 20 and 42. All isolates were RT 237 and no antimicrobial resistance was detected. The decline of shedding of C. difficile to zero has public health implications because slaughter age pigs have a low likelihood of spreading C. difficile to consumers via pig meat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Moono
- Microbiology & Immunology, School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Papanin Putsathit
- Microbiology & Immunology, School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Daniel R Knight
- Microbiology & Immunology, School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Michele M Squire
- Microbiology & Immunology, School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David J Hampson
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Niki F Foster
- Microbiology & Immunology, School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine (WA), Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Thomas V Riley
- Microbiology & Immunology, School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine (WA), Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
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23
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Larsson J, Aspán A, Lindberg R, Grandon R, Båverud V, Fall N, Jacobson M. Pathological and bacteriological characterization of neonatal porcine diarrhoea of uncertain aetiology. J Med Microbiol 2015; 64:916-926. [PMID: 26272503 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal porcine diarrhoea of uncertain aetiology has been reported from a number of countries. This study investigated 50 diarrhoeic and 19 healthy piglets from 10 affected Swedish herds. The piglets were blood-sampled for analysis of serum γ-globulin and necropsied, and the intestines were sampled for histopathology and cultured for Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile. Escherichia coli isolates (n = 276) were examined by PCR for virulence genes encoding LT, STa, STb, EAST1, VT2e, F4, F5, F6, F18, F41, AIDA-I, intimin, and for the genes aaiC and aggR. Selected isolates were analysed for additional virulence genes by a microarray and subjected to O-typing. Clostridium perfringens isolates (n = 152) were examined by PCR for genes encoding major toxins, enterotoxin and beta2-toxin. There was no difference in serum γ-globulin concentration between diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic piglets, and pathological lesions in the intestines were generally mild. Porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, a common cause of piglet diarrhoea, was only found in two piglets. Further, the virulence gene profiling did not suggest involvement of other diarrhoeogenic pathotypes of Escherichia coli. Growth of Clostridium perfringens did not differ between diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic piglets. All isolates were type A, all were negative for enterotoxin, and 151 of 152 isolates were beta2-toxin positive. In pigs ≥ 2 days old, moderate to profuse growth of Clostridium difficile was more common in the controls. In conclusion, it was not possible to relate Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens type A and C or Clostridium difficile to neonatal porcine diarrhoea in any of the investigated herds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Larsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Aspán
- Department of Bacteriology, National Veterinary Institute, SE-75189 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ronny Lindberg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rodrigo Grandon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Viveca Båverud
- Department of Bacteriology, National Veterinary Institute, SE-75189 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nils Fall
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Magdalena Jacobson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
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Rossi CA, Soares M, Luchese FC, Santurio JM. USO DE ÓLEOS ESSENCIAIS NO CONTROLE DOS SINAIS CLÍNICOS DAS DIARREIAS NEONATAIS EM LEITÕES NASCIDOS DE FÊMEAS COM DIFERENTES ORDENS DE PARTO. CIÊNCIA ANIMAL BRASILEIRA 2015. [DOI: 10.1590/1089-6891v16i119669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Este estudo avaliou a emulsão líquida de óleos essenciais de orégano (Origanum vulgare) e alecrim (Rosmarinus officinalis labiatae) no controle dos sinais clínicos da diarreia neonatal em leitões. Foram monitorados 1.334 leitões lactentes, com peso vivo médio inicial de 1,5kg, quanto aos sinais clínicos de diarreia neonatal. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado e com três tratamentos (T): (T1) controle (solução fisiológica), (T2) mescla dos óleos essenciais e (T3) enrofloxacina. Os animais que receberam o T1 apresentaram sinais clínicos característicos de diarreia diferindo (P<0,01) dos demais tratamentos. O percentual de cura da diarreia dos leitões não diferiu (P>0,01) entre os tratamentos, independente da ordem de partos (OP) das mães. Já leitões com sinais clínicos de diarreia, nascidos de fêmeas com OP inferior a três apresentaram maior percentual de cura (74,6%), se comparados aos leitões diarreicos de fêmeas com OP entre três e cinco (68,2%) e superior a cinco (56,4%). As análises microbiológicas das fezes e histológicas do epitélio ileal não apresentaram diferenças (P>0,01) entre os tratamentos. A emulsão com óleos essenciais de orégano e alecrim (2mL kg-1), para leitões entre zero e o oito dias de vida, pode vir a substituir a enrofloxacina no controle dos sinais clínicos das diarreias neonatais.
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Nationwide surveillance study of Clostridium difficile in Australian neonatal pigs shows high prevalence and heterogeneity of PCR ribotypes. Appl Environ Microbiol 2014; 81:119-23. [PMID: 25326297 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03032-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is an important enteric pathogen of humans and the cause of diarrhea and enteritis in neonatal pigs. Outside Australia, prevalence in piglets can be up to 73%, with a single PCR ribotype (RT), 078, predominating. We investigated the prevalence and genotype of C. difficile in Australian pig herds. Rectal swabs (n = 229) were collected from piglets aged <7 days from 21 farms across Australia. Selective culture for C. difficile was performed and isolates characterized by PCR for toxin genes and PCR ribotyping. C. difficile was isolated from 52% of samples by direct culture on chromogenic agar and 67% by enrichment culture (P = 0.001). No association between C. difficile recovery or genotype and diarrheic status of either farm or piglets was found. The majority (87%; 130/154) of isolates were toxigenic. Typing revealed 23 different RTs, several of which are known to cause disease in humans, including RT014, which was isolated most commonly (23%; 36/154). RT078 was not detected. This study shows that colonization of Australian neonatal piglets with C. difficile is widespread in the herds sampled.
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Abstract
Clostridium difficile is a well-known enteric pathogen of humans and the causative agent of high-morbidity enteritis in piglets aged 1 to 7 days. C. difficile prevalence in Australian piglets is as high as 70%. The current diagnostic assays have been validated only for human infections, and there are no published studies assessing their performance in Australian piglets. We evaluated the suitability of five assays for detecting C. difficile in 157 specimens of piglet feces. The assays included a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LMIA)-PCR for tcdA (illumigene C. difficile; Meridian), a real-time PCR for tcdB (GeneOhm Cdiff; Becton Dickinson), two-component enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for C. difficile glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) (EIA-GDH) and TcdA/TcdB (EIA-TcdA/TcdB) (C. diff Quik Chek; Alere), and direct culture (DC) (C. difficile chromID agar; bioMérieux). The assays for detection of the organism were compared against enrichment culture (EC), and assays for detection of toxins/toxin genes were compared against EC followed by PCR for toxin genes (toxigenic EC [TEC]). The recovery of C. difficile by EC was 39.5% (n = 62/157), and TEC revealed that 58.1% (n = 36/62) of isolates were positive for at least one toxin gene (tcdA/tcdB). Compared with those for EC/TEC, the sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values were, respectively, as follows: DC, 91.9, 100.0, 100.0, and 95.0%; EIA-GDH, 41.9, 92.6, 78.8, and 71.0%; EIA-TcdA/TcdB, 5.6, 99.2, 66.7, and 77.9%; real-time PCR, 42.9, 96.7, 78.9, and 85.4% and LMIA-PCR, 25.0, 95.9, 64.3, and 81.1%. The performance of the molecular methods was poor, suggesting that the current commercially available assays for diagnosis of C. difficile in humans are not suitable for use in piglets. C. difficile recovery by the DC provides a cost-effective alternative.
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Neonatal piglet diarrhoea associated with enteroadherent Enterococcus hirae. J Comp Pathol 2014; 151:137-47. [PMID: 24915885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2014.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal porcine diarrhoea of uncertain aetiology is an increasing problem in several countries. The aim of the present study was to investigate the unexpected finding of enteroadherent cocci in the small intestine of piglets selected for necropsy examination from six herds (18 diarrhoeic piglets and 11 healthy controls). Gross and microscopical lesions were characterized and selected intestinal sections were further examined by immunohistochemistry for expression of active caspase-3. The enteroadherent bacterium was characterized in situ by Gram staining, ultrastructural imaging, fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and 16S rRNA gene analysis. Species identification of enterococci from intestinal cultures was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for one diarrhoeic and one control animal per herd. Gross changes were mild. Microscopically, small intestinal colonization by gram-positive cocci was observed in diarrhoeic animals only and was accompanied by villus atrophy (4/18) and mild epithelial lesions (10/18), including increased apoptosis of enterocytes. Transmission electron microscopy revealed coccoid bacteria adjacent to the epithelium, but without effacement of microvilli. 16S rRNA gene analysis yielded a sequence identical to Enterococcus hirae and FISH identified the enteroadherent bacteria as Enterococcus spp. in all colonized animals. The proportion of bacterial isolates identified as E. hirae by MALDI-TOF MS analysis was significantly higher (P = 0.0138) in diarrhoeic pigs. Species identification was confirmed by species-specific polymerase chain reaction for one E. hirae isolate per herd. These isolates were further tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, which indicated decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin for one isolate (minimum inhibitory concentration >4 mg/l). These findings suggested that neonatal porcine diarrhoea was associated with small intestinal colonization by E. hirae accompanied by mucosal lesions.
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Arruda PH, Madson DM, Ramirez A, Rowe E, Lizer JT, Songer JG. Effect of age, dose and antibiotic therapy on the development of Clostridium difficile infection in neonatal piglets. Anaerobe 2013; 22:104-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2013.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Revised: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Cruz Junior EC, Salvarani FM, Silva RO, Silva MX, Lobato FC, Guedes RM. A surveillance of enteropathogens in piglets from birth to seven days of age in Brazil. PESQUISA VETERINARIA BRASILEIRA 2013. [DOI: 10.1590/s0100-736x2013000800002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the real importance of anaerobic enteropathogens and rotavirus in contrast to more common agents as cause of diarrhea in piglets within the first week of life. Sixty 1- to 7-day-old piglets, 30 diarrheic and 30 non-diarrheic (control), from 15 different herds were selected, euthanized and necropsied. Samples of the jejunum, ileum, colon, cecum and feces were collected from the piglets and analyzed to determine the presence of the following enteropathogens: enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Clostridium perfringens types A and C, Clostridium difficile, rotavirus and Isospora suis. Among diarrheic piglets, 23.3% were positive for C. difficile, 70% for C. perfringens type A cpb2+, 14.3% for rotavirus and 10% for ETEC. Among non-diarrheic control piglets, 10% were positive for C. difficile, 76.7% for C. perfringens type A cpb2+, 0% for rotavirus, 3.3% for ETEC and 3.3% for I. suis. C. perfringens type C was not detected in any of the animals. Histological lesions characteristic of C. difficile, E. coli and rotavirus were observed. However, no C. perfringens type A suggestive lesions were detected. There was a positive correlation between mesocolon edema and the presence of C. difficile toxins. Although C. perfringens type A cpb2+ was the most frequently detected enteropathogen, there was no association between its presence and diarrhea or macro or microscopic changes. C. difficile and Rotavirus were the most relevant pathogens involved with neonatal diarrhea in this study, and histopathology associated with microbiological test proved to be the key to reach a final diagnosis.
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Silva ROS, Santos RLR, Pires PS, Pereira LC, Pereira ST, Duarte MC, de Assis RA, Lobato FCF. Detection of toxins A/B and isolation of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens from dogs in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2013; 44:133-7. [PMID: 24159295 PMCID: PMC3804189 DOI: 10.1590/s1517-83822013005000008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2011] [Accepted: 07/02/2012] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to detect C. difficile A/B toxins and to isolate strains of C. perfringens and C. difficile from diarrheic and non-diarrheic dogs in Brazil. Stool samples were collected from 57 dogs, 35 of which were apparently healthy, and 22 of which were diarrheic. C. difficile A/B toxins were detected by ELISA, and C. perfringens and C. difficile were identified by multiplex PCR. C. difficile A/B toxins were detected in 21 samples (36.8%). Of these, 16 (76.2%) were from diarrheic dogs, and five (23.8%) were from non-diarrheic dogs. Twelve C. difficile strains (21.1%) were isolated, of which ten were A+B+ and two were A−B−. All non-toxigenic strains were isolated from non-diarrheic animals. The binary toxin gene cdtB was found in one strain, which was A+B+ and was derived from a non-diarrheic dog. C. perfringens strains were isolated from 40 samples (70.2%). Of these, 18 (45%) were from the diarrheic group, and 22 (55%) belonged to the non-diarrheic group. All isolates were classified as C. perfringens type A and there was an association between the detection of the cpe gene and the presence of diarrhea. Interestingly, ten strains (25%) were positive for the presence of the cpb2 gene. The high rate of detection of the A/B toxins in non-diarrheic dogs suggests the occurrence of subclinical disease in dogs or carriage of its toxins without disease. More studies are needed to elucidate the epidemiology of C. difficile and C. perfringens in dogs and to better our understanding of C. difficile as a zoonotic agent. This is the first study to report the binary toxin gene in C. difficile strains isolated from dogs in Brazil.
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Chen JW, Scaria J, Mao C, Sobral B, Zhang S, Lawley T, Chang YF. Proteomic comparison of historic and recently emerged hypervirulent Clostridium difficile strains. J Proteome Res 2013; 12:1151-61. [PMID: 23298230 DOI: 10.1021/pr3007528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile in recent years has undergone rapid evolution and has emerged as a serious human pathogen. Proteomic approaches can improve the understanding of the diversity of this important pathogen, especially in comparing the adaptive ability of different C. difficile strains. In this study, TMT labeling and nanoLC-MS/MS driven proteomics were used to investigate the responses of four C. difficile strains to nutrient shift and osmotic shock. We detected 126 and 67 differentially expressed proteins in at least one strain under nutrition shift and osmotic shock, respectively. During nutrient shift, several components of the phosphotransferase system (PTS) were found to be differentially expressed, which indicated that the carbon catabolite repression (CCR) was relieved to allow the expression of enzymes and transporters responsible for the utilization of alternate carbon sources. Some classical osmotic shock associated proteins, such as GroEL, RecA, CspG, and CspF, and other stress proteins such as PurG and SerA were detected during osmotic shock. Furthermore, the recently emerged strains were found to contain a more robust gene network in response to both stress conditions. This work represents the first comparative proteomic analysis of historic and recently emerged hypervirulent C. difficile strains, complementing the previously published proteomics studies utilizing only one reference strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenn-Wei Chen
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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Neuberger A, Saadi T, Shetern A, Schwartz E. Clostridium difficile Infection in travelers--a neglected pathogen? J Travel Med 2013; 20:37-43. [PMID: 23279229 DOI: 10.1111/j.1708-8305.2012.00676.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Until recently, Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been mostly diagnosed in hospitalized elderly patients treated with antibacterial agents. The epidemiology of C difficile is changing as the ribotype 027 strain is spreading worldwide, and more infections are diagnosed in patients residing in the community. Although only few data about the epidemiology of CDI in developing countries are available, a number of reports seem to indicate that the incidence of CDI may be high in some such countries. Transmission of CDI may be more common in hospitals that lack the resources for efficient infection control programs. Theoretically, travelers to low-income countries may be exposed to C difficile both in the community and within hospitals. METHODS Data for this article were identified by searches of PubMed and MEDLINE, and references from relevant articles using the search terms "clostridium" and "travel." Abstracts were included when related to previously published work. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS A total of 48 cases of travelers with CDI were located. CDI among travelers was more commonly acquired in low- and medium-income countries, although 20% of all reported cases occurred in travelers returning from high-income countries. All travelers with CDI for whom a detailed history was available acquired the infection in the community. CDI in travelers occurred in relatively young patients and was frequently associated with the empiric use of antibacterial agents, notably fluoroquinolones. A sizable minority of travelers with CDI had no exposure to antibacterial agents at all. The incidence of travel-related CDI is unknown, but may be higher than previously suspected. A prospective study among travelers with unexplained acute or chronic diarrhea is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Neuberger
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine B, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
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Abstract
Models of Clostridium difficile infection (C. difficile) have been used extensively for Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) research. The hamster model of C. difficile infection has been most extensively employed for the study of C. difficile and this has been used in many different areas of research, including the induction of C. difficile, the testing of new treatments, population dynamics and characterization of virulence. Investigations using in vitro models for C. difficile introduced the concept of colonization resistance, evaluated the role of antibiotics in C. difficile development, explored population dynamics and have been useful in the evaluation of C. difficile treatments. Experiments using models have major advantages over clinical studies and have been indispensible in furthering C. difficile research. It is important for future study programs to carefully consider the approach to use and therefore be better placed to inform the design and interpretation of clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. Best
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Microbiology Department; Old Medical School; Leeds General Infirmary; Leeds, UK,Correspondence to: Emma L. Best,
| | - Jane Freeman
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Microbiology Department; Old Medical School; Leeds General Infirmary; Leeds, UK
| | - Mark H. Wilcox
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Microbiology Department; Old Medical School; Leeds General Infirmary; Leeds, UK,University of Leeds; Leeds, UK
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Bobo LD, Dubberke ER, Kollef M. Clostridium difficile in the ICU: the struggle continues. Chest 2012; 140:1643-1653. [PMID: 22147824 DOI: 10.1378/chest.11-0556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) management has become more daunting over the past decade because of alarming increases in CDI incidence and severity both in the hospital and in the community. This increase has concomitantly caused significant escalation of the health-care economic burden caused by CDI, and it will likely be translated to increased ICU admission and attributable mortality. Some possible causes for difficulty in management of CDI are as follows: (1) inability to predict and prevent development of severe/complicated or relapsing CDI in patients who initially present with mild symptoms; (2) lack of a method to determine who would have benefited a priori from initiating vancomycin treatment first instead of treatment with metronidazole; (3) lack of sensitive and specific CDI diagnostics; (4) changing epidemiology of CDI, including the emergence of a hypervirulent, epidemic C difficile strain associated with increased morbidity and mortality; (5) association of certain high-usage nonantimicrobial medications with CDI; and (6) lack of treatment regimens that leave the normal intestinal flora undisturbed while treating the primary infection. The objective of this article is to present current management and prevention guidelines for CDI based on recommendations by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and Infectious Diseases Society of America and potential new clinical management strategies on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda D Bobo
- Adult Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
| | - Erik R Dubberke
- Adult Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Marin Kollef
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
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Squire MM, Riley TV. Clostridium difficile infection in humans and piglets: a 'One Health' opportunity. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2012; 365:299-314. [PMID: 22695920 DOI: 10.1007/82_2012_237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile causes infectious diarrhoea in humans and animals. It has been found in both diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal pigs, horses and cattle, suggesting a potential reservoir for human insection, and in 20-40 % of meat products in Canada and the USA, suggesting the possibility, albeit not proven, of food-borne transmission. Although it is not yet completely clear, it is likely that excessive antimicrobial exposure is driving the establishment of C. difficile in animals, in a manner analogous to human infection, rather than the organism just being normal flora of the animal gastrointestinal tract. PCR ribotype 078 is the most common ribotype of C. difficile found in pigs (83 % in one study in the USA) and cattle (up to 100 %) and this ribotype is now the third most common ribotype of C. difficile found in human infection in Europe. Human and pig strains of C. difficile are genetically identical in Europe confirming that a zoonosis exists. Rates of community-acquired C. difficile infection (CDI) are increasing world wide, a fact that sits well with the notion that animals are a reservoir for human infection. Thus, there are three problems that require resolution: a human health issue, an animal health issue and the factor common to both these problems, environmental contamination. To successfully deal with these recent changes in the epidemiology of CDI will require a 'one health' approach involving human health physicians, veterinarians and environmental scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele M Squire
- Microbiology and Immunology, School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia,
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Clostridium difficile Infection in Humans and Piglets: A ‘One Health’ Opportunity. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-45792-4_237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Keessen E, Gaastra W, Lipman L. Clostridium difficile infection in humans and animals, differences and similarities. Vet Microbiol 2011; 153:205-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2010] [Revised: 03/07/2011] [Accepted: 03/17/2011] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Weese JS, Rousseau J, Deckert A, Gow S, Reid-Smith RJ. Clostridium difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus shedding by slaughter-age pigs. BMC Vet Res 2011; 7:41. [PMID: 21791057 PMCID: PMC3162498 DOI: 10.1186/1746-6148-7-41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are critical human pathogens and of increasing concern in food animals. Because of the apparent impact of age on prevalence of these organisms, studies of slaughter age pigs are important when considering the potential for contamination of food. This study evaluated C. difficile and MRSA shedding by slaughter age pigs from farms across Canada. RESULTS Clostridium difficile was isolated from 30/436 (6.9%) samples from 15/45 (33%) farms. After adjusting for clustering at the herd level, the prevalence was 3.4%. Ribotype 078 (toxinotype V, North American Pulsotype 7) was the most common strain, accounting for 67% of isolates. MRSA was isolated from 21/460 (4.6%) pigs from 5/46 (11%) farms. The prevalence in pigs after adjusting for clustering at the herd level was 0.2%. Seven different spa types were identified, with 3 related spa types (t011, t034, new) accounting for 16 (76%) consistent with ST398 predominating. Both MRSA and C. difficile samples were collected from 45 farms. Both MRSA and C. difficile were detected on 2 (4.4%), with C. difficile only on 13 (29%), MRSA only on 3 (6.7%) and neither on 27 (60%). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of C. difficile and MRSA in slaughter age pigs was relatively low, particularly in comparison with studies involving younger pigs. The predominance of C. difficile ribotype 078 and MRSA ST398 was not surprising, but there was diversity in strain types and the majority of isolates of both organisms were strains that can be found in humans. While the prevalence of C. difficile and MRSA in slaughter age pigs was relatively low, there is clearly potential for contamination of meat from healthy pigs carrying this pathogen into slaughterhouses.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Scott Weese
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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Lippke RT, Borowski SM, Marques SM, Paesi SO, Almeida LL, Moreno AM, Corbellini LG, Barcellos DED. Matched case-control study evaluating the frequency of the main agents associated with neonatal diarrhea in piglets. PESQUISA VETERINARIA BRASILEIRA 2011. [DOI: 10.1590/s0100-736x2011000600008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A case-control study was carried out in litters of 1 to 7-day-old piglets to identify the main infectious agents involved with neonatal diarrhea in pigs. Fecal samples (n=276) from piglets were collected on pig farms in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from May to September 2007. Litters with diarrhea were considered cases (n=129) and normal litters (n=147) controls. The samples were examined by latex agglutination test, PAGE, conventional isolating techniques, ELISA, PCR, and microscopic methods in order to detect rotavirus, bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens type A and C, and Clostridium difficile), and parasites (Coccidian and Cryptosporidium spp.). Outbreaks of diarrhea were not observed during sampling. At least one agent was detected in fecal samples on 25 out of 28 farms (89.3%) and in 16 farms (57.1%) more than one agent was found. The main agents diagnosed were Coccidia (42.86%) and rotavirus (39.29%). The main agents identified in litters with diarrhea were Clostridium difficile (10.6%), Clostridium perfringens type A (8.8%) and rotavirus (7.5%); in control litters, Clostridium difficile (16.6%) and Coccidian (8.5%). Beta hemolytic Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens type C were not detected. When compared with controls, no agent was significantly associated with diarrhea in case litters. These findings stress the need for caution in the interpretation of laboratorial diagnosis of mild diarrhea in neonatal pigs, as the sole detection of an agent does not necessarily indicate that it is the cause of the problem.
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Evaluation of four different diagnostic tests to detect Clostridium difficile in piglets. J Clin Microbiol 2011; 49:1816-21. [PMID: 21411571 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00242-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is emerging as pathogen in both humans and animals. In 2000 it was described as one of the causes of neonatal enteritis in piglets, and it is now the most common cause of neonatal diarrhea in the United States. In Europe, C. difficile infection (CDI) in both neonatal piglets and adult sows has also been reported. Diagnosis of this infection is based on detection of the bacterium C. difficile or its toxins A and B. Most detection methods, however, are only validated for diagnosing human infections. In this study three commercially available enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) and a commercial real-time-PCR (Becton, Dickinson, and Company) were evaluated by testing 172 pig fecal specimens (139 diarrheic and 33 nondiarrheic piglets). The results of each test were compared to those of cytotoxicity assays (CTAs) and toxigenic culture as the "gold standards." Compared to CTAs, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were, respectively, as follows: for real-time PCR, 91.6, 37.1, 57.6, and 82.5%; for Premier Toxins A&B (Meridian), 83.1, 31.5, 53.1, and 66.7%; for ImmunoCard Toxins A&B kit (ICTAB; Meridian), 86.6, 56.8, 66.9, and 80.7%; and for VIDAS (bioMérieux), 54.8, 92.6, 85.0, and 72.8%. Compared to toxigenic culture, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were, respectively, as follows: for real-time PCR, 93.0, 34.7, 50.0, and 87.5%; for Premier Toxins A&B, 80.3, 27.7, 43.8, and 66.7%; and for ICTAB, 80.0, 46.2, 52.8, and 75.4%; and for VIDAS, 56.4, 89.8, 77.5, and 76.7%. We conclude that all tests had an unacceptably low performance as a single test for the detection of C. difficile in pig herds and that a two-step algorithm is necessary, similar to that in cases of human CDI. Of all of the assays, the real-time PCR had the highest NPV compared to both reference methods and is therefore the most appropriate test to screen for the absence of C. difficile in pigs as a first step in the algorithm. The second step would be a confirmation of the positive results by toxigenic culture.
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Longitudinal investigation of Clostridium difficile shedding in piglets. Anaerobe 2010; 16:501-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2010.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2010] [Revised: 08/03/2010] [Accepted: 08/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Dubberke ER, Haslam DB, Lanzas C, Bobo LD, Burnham CAD, Gröhn YT, Tarr PI. The ecology and pathobiology of Clostridium difficile infections: an interdisciplinary challenge. Zoonoses Public Health 2010; 58:4-20. [PMID: 21223531 DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2010.01352.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is a well recognized pathogen of humans and animals. Although C. difficile was first identified over 70 years ago, much remains unknown in regards to the primary source of human acquisition and its pathobiology. These deficits in our knowledge have been intensified by dramatic increases in both the frequency and severity of disease in humans over the last decade. The changes in C. difficile epidemiology might be due to the emergence of a hypervirulent stain of C. difficile, ageing of the population, altered risk of developing infection with newer medications, and/or increased exposure to C. difficile outside of hospitals. In recent years, there have been numerous reports documenting C. difficile contamination of various foods, and reports of similarities between strains that infect animals and strains that infect humans as well. The purposes of this review are to highlight the many challenges to diagnosing, treating, and preventing C. difficile infection in humans, and to stress that collaboration between human and veterinary researchers is needed to control this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R Dubberke
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Abstract
Clostridium difficile is a critically important cause of disease in humans, particularly in hospitalized individuals. Three major factors have raised concern about the potential for this pathogen to be a cause of foodborne disease: the increasing recognition of community-associated C. difficile infection, recent studies identifying C. difficile in food animals and food, and similarities in C. difficile isolates from animals, food and humans. It is clear that C. difficile can be commonly found in food animals and food in many regions, and that strains important in human infections, such as ribotype 027/NAP1/toxinotype III and ribotype 078/toxinotype V, are often present. However, it is currently unclear whether ingestion of contaminated food can result in colonization or infection. Many questions remain unanswered regarding the role of C. difficile in community-associated diarrhoea: its source when it is a food contaminant, the infective dose, and the association between ingestion of contaminated food and disease. The significant role of this pathogen in human disease and its potential emergence as an important community-associated pathogen indicate that careful evaluation of different sources of exposure, including food, is required, but determination of the potential role of food in C. difficile infection may be difficult.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Weese
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontartio Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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Alvarez-Perez S, Blanco JL, Bouza E, Alba P, Gibert X, Maldonado J, Garcia ME. Prevalence of Clostridium difficile in diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic piglets. Vet Microbiol 2009; 137:302-5. [PMID: 19200665 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2009.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2008] [Revised: 01/05/2009] [Accepted: 01/06/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is considered to be an important causative agent of porcine neonatal diarrhoea, having taken over from classic bacterial pathogens. However, there are currently no clear data concerning the prevalence of this microorganism in piglets, or about its relative distributions among diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic animals. In the present study, we analyzed the presence of C. difficile in rectal swabs from 780 piglets from two age groups (newborn and 1-2-month-old pigs) by means of molecular and microbiological procedures. Furthermore DNA was isolated from the bacteria in order to identify toxin A and toxin B genes.C. difficile was not found in any of the 239 samples taken from 1- to 2-month-old pigs. Bacteria were, however, recovered from 140 out of 541 newborn piglets (25.9%), including both diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic animals, and animals from control farms (free of diarrhoeic animals). Genes for the production of both toxins A and B were identified in 132 of the 140 isolates (A(+)B(+)). Only seven isolates, all from the same farm and from non-diarrhoeic animals, lacked both toxin genes (A(-)B(-)), while one isolate from this same group of animals was A(-)B(+).This study provides the first report comparing the prevalence of C. difficile in large numbers of diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic animals. There was no clear link between bacterial isolation and neonatal porcine diarrhoea.
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Renewed interest in a difficult disease: Clostridium difficile infections--epidemiology and current treatment strategies. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2009; 25:24-35. [PMID: 19114771 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0b013e32831da7c4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Renewed interest in Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) is stimulating research into the pathogenesis and virulence factors for this pathogen. This review summarizes recent progress in the field, particularly in relation to the changing epidemiologic trends and new investigational treatments. RECENT FINDINGS Elucidation of the role of different toxins of C. difficile (tcdA, tcdB and binary toxin) is deepening our understanding of CDI. Stain typing of C. difficile isolates is documenting the spread of an emergent strain (BI/NAP1/027) associated with large outbreaks of severe disease. Typing of isolates around the world shows global spread of this strain. Reliance upon metronidazole is questioned due to a lower response rate and newer investigational therapies are reported. SUMMARY After being considered a manageable pathogen for decades, C. difficile recently caused large outbreaks of severe disease. Refocused research is determining patients who are at risk for CDI, what methods are more effective in diagnosing CDI and what new treatments may be effective. This article reviews the recent findings in the literature regarding this difficult and challenging pathogen.
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