Kachrimanidou M, Metallidis S, Tsachouridou O, Harmanus C, Lola V, Protonotariou E, Skoura L, Kuijper E. Predominance of Clostridioides difficile PCR ribotype 181 in northern Greece, 2016-2019.
Anaerobe 2022;
76:102601. [PMID:
35688364 DOI:
10.1016/j.anaerobe.2022.102601]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has undergone many changes since the beginning of this century and continues to evolve based on recent studies. Here, we performed a molecular analysis of C. difficile isolates in northern Greece across 10 health-care facilities, spanning from 2016 to 2019.
METHODS
221 C. difficile isolates were cultured from stool samples of hospitalized patients with diarrhea and screened by PCR for the presence of the toxin A (tcdA), toxin B (tcdB), the binary toxin (cdtA and cdtB) genes and the regulating gene of tcdC. PCR ribotyping of the cultured isolates was performed by a standardized protocol for capillary gel-based PCR ribotyping and an international database with well-documented reference strains.
RESULTS
Thirty-five different PCR ribotypes were identified. The most common RTs identified were: 181 (36%, 80/221), 017 (10%, 21/221), 126 (9%, 19/221), 078 (4%, 9/221) and 012 (4%, 8/221). Notably, the predominant RT181, with toxin profile tcdA+tcdB+cdtA+cdtB+, was identified in seven out of ten participating hospitals.
CONCLUSIONS
Multiple C. difficile ribotypes have been circulating in the northern Greece region with RTs 181 (closely related to 027), 017, 126 and 078 being predominant.
Collapse