Toxinotype V Clostridium difficile in Humans and Food Animals

• Main Authors: Michael A. Jhung, Angela D. Thompson, George E. Killgore, Walter E. Zukowski, Glenn Songer, Michael Warny, Stuart Johnson, Dale N. Gerding, L. Clifford McDonald, Brandi M. Limbago
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2008-07-01
• Series: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Clostridium difficile; interspecies transmission; molecular epidemiology; research; United States
• Online Access: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/14/7/07-1641_article
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059

Clostridium difficile is a recognized pathogen in neonatal pigs and may contribute to enteritis in calves. Toxinotype V strains have been rare causes of human C. difficile–associated disease (CDAD). We examined toxinotype V in human disease, the genetic relationship of animal and human toxinotype V strains, and in vitro toxin production of these strains. From 2001 through 2006, 8 (1.3%) of 620 patient isolates were identified as toxinotype V; before 2001, 7 (<0.02%) of ≈6,000 isolates were identified as toxinotype V. Six (46.2%) of 13 case-patients for whom information was available had community-associated CDAD. Molecular characterization showed a high degree of similarity between human and animal toxinotype V isolates; all contained a 39-bp tcdC deletion and most produced binary toxin. Further study is needed to understand the epidemiology of CDAD caused by toxinotype V C. difficile, including the potential of foodborne transmission to humans.