We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Molecular and culture-based diagnosis of Clostridium difficile isolates from Côte d'Ivoire after prolonged storage at disrupted cold chain conditions.
- Authors
Chatigre, Sören L. Becker ;Justin K.; Coulibaly, Jean T.; Mertens, Pascal; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Herrmann, Mathias; Kuijper, Ed J.; N'Gorane, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg; von Müller, Lutz
- Abstract
Background: Although Clostridium difficile is a major cause of diarrhoea, its epidemiology in tropical settings is poorly understood. Strain characterisation requires work-up in specialised laboratories, often after prolonged storage without properly maintained cold chain. Methods: We screened 298 human faecal samples from Côte d'Ivoire using a rapid test for C. difficile glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). GDH-positive samples were aerobically stored at disrupted cold chain conditions (mean duration: 11 days) before transfer to a reference laboratory for anaerobic culture, susceptibility testing, PCR assays and ribotyping. Results: Sixteen samples (5.4%) had a positive GDH screening test. C. difficile infection was confirmed in six specimens by culture and PCR, while no nucleic acids of C. difficile were detected in the culture-negative samples. Further analysis of stool samples harbouring toxigenic C. difficile strains confirmed that both GDH and toxins remained detectable for at least 28 days, regardless of storage conditions (aerobic storage at 4°C or 20°C). Conclusions: Storage conditions only minimally affect recovery of C. difficile and its toxins in stool culture. A rapid GDH screening test and subsequent transfer of GDH-positive stool samples to reference laboratories for in-depth characterisation may improve our understanding of the epidemiology of C. difficile in the tropics.
- Subjects
CLOSTRIDIOIDES difficile; DIARRHEA; GLUTAMATE dehydrogenase; BACTERIAL diseases; EPIDEMIOLOGICAL research
- Publication
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, 2015, Vol 109, Issue 10, p660
- ISSN
0035-9203
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/trstmh/trv071