Clostridium difficile in piglets in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Anaerobic, Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium Clostridium difflcile is an important nosocomial pathogen and the most frequently diagnosed cause of a hospital acquired diarrhoea following antibiotic treatment. C. difficile-associated disease is of gaining importance now due to its increasing incidence involving a more severe course and higher mortality.

C. difficile is also an emerging animal pathogen, which has been recognised as a major cause of enteritis in piglets. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the presence of C. difficile in piglet faeces in a single piglet farm and to determine toxinotypes and ribotypes of isolated strains.

Keywords

• Clostridium difficile
• nosocomial pathogen
• prevalence
• incidence
• mortality
• pigs
• pilot study