The biological and clinical significance of Clostridium difficile

Models for the study of Clostridium difficile infection

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.

Animal models simulating anaerobic infections

Animal models simulating human disease have played an important role in our understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of infections caused by obligately anaerobic bacteria. These models helped document the primary source of such infections as the host's own normal microflora. In addition, the polymicrobial nature of anaerobic infections was documented by using animal models for intraabdominal sepsis. Subsequent studies using animal models have led to an understanding of the nature of the host immune response to abscess causing agents and have been instrumental in defining the molecular basis for the virulence and protection provided by the polysaccharide capsule of Bacteroides fragilis. Animal models have also been important components for studies of toxigenic clostridial diseases, such as antibiotic associated colitis and ulcerative colitis. A discussion of some of these models is provided in this review.

Studies on the resistance of Clostridium difficile to antimicrobial agents

The susceptibility of C. difficile isolated at the Department of Medical Microbiology of the University of Zurich to a wide selection of antibacterial, antimycobacterial and antifungal agents was tested in vitro. Great differences in susceptibility were found against chloramphenicol, clindamycin, erythromycin, rifamycin, and tetracycline. Resistance to clindamycin and erythromycin could always be transferred jointly to a susceptible C. difficile strain by mixed culture on filters at low frequencies (1 X 10(-8) to 4 X 10(-8) per donor cell). Transfer of tetracycline resistance occurred at frequencies of 3 X 10(-7) to 5 X 10(-7). Chloramphenicol and rifamycin resistance could not be transferred in the system used (frequencies less than 10(-8)). Although a total of 38,000 colonies was screened by various methods known to affect plasmid replication, resistance to chloramphenicol, clindamycin, erythromycin, rifamycin, and tetracycline could not be eliminated. No connection between plasmid DNA and antimicrobial resistance could be established. Especially, no plasmid DNA was involved in the transfer of resistance determinants from resistant to susceptible strains.

Relapse of antibiotic associated colitis: endogenous persistence of Clostridium difficile during vancomycin therapy

This study reports 24 patients with antibiotic associated colitis due to Clostridium difficile. Fifteen patients were treated with vancomycin due to the severity of the colitis and in eight of these a clinical relapse of the colitis occurred after vancomycin therapy was stopped. Bacteriological investigations of these patients indicated that C difficile was able to persist in stool samples during vancomycin therapy in the absence of detectable cytotoxin. This was in contrast with the seven patients successfully treated with vancomycin without relapse, and those not treated with vancomycin where both stool cultures and cytotoxin assays became negative. These results suggest that patients being treated with vancomycin for antibiotic associated colitis due to C difficile should have stool cultures done during and after treatment. Persistence of the organism in the absence of detectable cytotoxin may identify those patients who relapse and lead to either recommencement of vancomycin or alternative therapeutic approaches.