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Huletsky A, Loo VG, Longtin Y, Longtin J, Trottier S, Tremblay CL, Gilca R, Lavallée C, Brochu É, Bérubé È, Bastien M, Bernier M, Gagnon M, Frenette J, Bestman-Smith J, Deschênes L, Bergeron MG. Comparison of rectal swabs and fecal samples for the detection of Clostridioides difficile infections with a new in-house PCR assay. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0022524. [PMID: 38687067 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00225-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The detection of Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) relies on testing the stool of patients by toxin antigen detection or PCR methods. Although PCR and antigenic methods have significantly reduced the time to results, delays in stool collection can significantly add to the turnaround time. The use of rectal swabs to detect C. difficile could considerably reduce the time to diagnosis of CDI. We developed a new rapid PCR assay for the detection of C. difficile and evaluated this PCR assay on both stool and rectal swab specimens. We recruited a total of 623 patients suspected of C. difficile infection. Stool samples and rectal swabs were collected from each patient and tested by our PCR assay. Stool samples were also tested by the cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCNA) as a reference. The PCR assay detected C. difficile in 60 stool specimens and 61 rectal swabs for the 64 patients whose stool samples were positive for C. difficile by CCNA. The PCR assay detected an additional 35 and 36 stool and rectal swab specimens positive for C. difficile, respectively, for sensitivity with stools and rectal swabs of 93.8% and 95.3%, specificity of 93.7% and 93.6%, positive predictive values of 63.2% and 62.9%, and negative predictive values of 99.2% and 99.4%. Detection of C. difficile using PCR on stools or rectal swabs yielded reliable and similar results. The use of PCR tests on rectal swabs could reduce turnaround time for CDI detection, thus improving CDI management and control of C. difficile transmission. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea, resulting in high morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. In clinical laboratories, CDI testing is currently performed on stool samples collected from patients with diarrhea. However, the diagnosis of CDI can be delayed by the time required to collect stool samples. Barriers to sample collection could be overcome by using a rectal swab instead of a stool sample. Our study showed that CDI can be identified rapidly and reliably by a new PCR assay developed in our laboratory on both stool and rectal swab specimens. The use of PCR tests on rectal swabs could reduce the time for the detection of CDI and improve the management of this infection. It should also provide a useful alternative for infection-control practitioners to better control the spread of C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Huletsky
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Vivian G Loo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Yves Longtin
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
- Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada
| | - Jean Longtin
- Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Sylvie Trottier
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Cécile L Tremblay
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Rodica Gilca
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Département de risque biologique et de la santé au travail, Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec City, Canada
| | - Christian Lavallée
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Service de maladies infectieuses et de microbiologie, Département de médecine spécialisée, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont - CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Ile-de-Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Département clinique de médecine de laboratoire, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Éliel Brochu
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Ève Bérubé
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Martine Bastien
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Marthe Bernier
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Martin Gagnon
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Johanne Frenette
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Julie Bestman-Smith
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Service de microbiologie-infectiologie, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Louise Deschênes
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Service de microbiologie-infectiologie, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Michel G Bergeron
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
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Cersosimo LM, Worley JN, Bry L. Approaching pathogenic Clostridia from a One Health perspective. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.08.574718. [PMID: 38260382 PMCID: PMC10802438 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.08.574718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Spore-forming pathogens have a unique capacity to thrive in diverse environments, and with temporal persistence afforded through their ability to sporulate. These behaviors require a One Health approach to identify critical reservoirs and outbreak-associated transmission chains, given their capacity to freely move across soils, waterways, foodstuffs, and as commensals or infecting pathogens in human and veterinary populations. Among anaerobic spore-formers, genomic resources for pathogens including C. botulinum, C. difficile, and C. perfringens enable our capacity to identify common and unique factors that support their persistence in diverse reservoirs and capacity to cause disease. Publicly available genomic resources for spore-forming pathogens at NCBI's Pathogen Detection program aid outbreak investigations and longitudinal monitoring in national and international programs in public health and food safety, as well as for local healthcare systems. These tools also enable research to derive new knowledge regarding disease pathogenesis, and to inform strategies in disease prevention and treatment. As global community resources, the continued sharing of strain genomic data and phenotypes further enhances international resources and means to develop impactful applications. We present examples showing use of these resources in surveillance, including capacity to assess linkages among clinical, environmental, and foodborne reservoirs and to further research investigations into factors promoting their persistence and virulence in different settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Cersosimo
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Dept. Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jay N. Worley
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Dept. Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Lynn Bry
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Dept. Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Dept. Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
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Worley JN, Benedetto ND, Delaney M, Paiva AO, Chapot-Chartier MP, Peltier J, Bry L. Clostridioides difficile MreE (PBP2) variants facilitate clinical disease during cephalosporin exposures. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.10.23.23297415. [PMID: 37961251 PMCID: PMC10635175 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.23.23297415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Cephalosporins are the most common triggers of healthcare-associated Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI). Here, we confirm gene-level drivers of cephalosporin resistance and their roles in promoting disease. Genomic-epidemiologic analyses of 306 C. difficile isolates from a hospital surveillance program monitoring asymptomatic carriers and CDI patients identified prevalent third-generation cephalosporin resistance to ceftriaxone at >256 ug/mL in 26% of isolates. Resistance was associated with patient cephalosporin exposures 8-10 days before C. difficile detection. Genomic analyses identified variants in the mreE penicillin binding protein 2 (PBP2) associated with resistance to multiple beta-lactam classes. Transfer of variants into susceptible strain CD630 elevated resistance to first and third-generation cephalosporins. Transfer into the mouse-infective strain ATCC 43255 enabled disease when mice were exposed to 500ug/mL cefoperazone, a dose that inhibited the isogenic susceptible strain. Our findings establish roles of cephalosporins and mreE-cephalosporin-resistant variants in CDI and provide testable genetic loci for detecting resistance in patient strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Noboru Worley
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nicholas D Benedetto
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mary Delaney
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ana Oliveira Paiva
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, University of Paris-Saclay, Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, National Centre for Scientific Research, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Chapot-Chartier
- AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, University of Paris-Saclay, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, Jouy-en-Josas, Franc
| | - Johann Peltier
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, University of Paris-Saclay, Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, National Centre for Scientific Research, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Lynn Bry
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Miles-Jay A, Snitkin ES, Lin MY, Shimasaki T, Schoeny M, Fukuda C, Dangana T, Moore N, Sansom SE, Yelin RD, Bell P, Rao K, Keidan M, Standke A, Bassis C, Hayden MK, Young VB. Longitudinal genomic surveillance of carriage and transmission of Clostridioides difficile in an intensive care unit. Nat Med 2023; 29:2526-2534. [PMID: 37723252 PMCID: PMC10579090 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02549-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Despite enhanced infection prevention efforts, Clostridioides difficile remains the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections in the United States. Current prevention strategies are limited by their failure to account for patients who carry C. difficile asymptomatically, who may act as hidden reservoirs transmitting infections to other patients. To improve the understanding of asymptomatic carriers' contribution to C. difficile spread, we conducted admission and daily longitudinal culture-based screening for C. difficile in a US-based intensive care unit over nine months and performed whole-genome sequencing on all recovered isolates. Despite a high burden of carriage, with 9.3% of admissions having toxigenic C. difficile detected in at least one sample, only 1% of patients culturing negative on admission to the unit acquired C. difficile via cross-transmission. While patients who carried toxigenic C. difficile on admission posed minimal risk to others, they themselves had a 24-times greater risk for developing a healthcare-onset C. difficile infection than noncarriers. Together, these findings suggest that current infection prevention practices can be effective in preventing nosocomial cross-transmission of C. difficile, and that decreasing C. difficile infections in hospitals further will require interventions targeting the transition from asymptomatic carriage to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Miles-Jay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Evan S Snitkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Michael Y Lin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Teppei Shimasaki
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michael Schoeny
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christine Fukuda
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Thelma Dangana
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nicholas Moore
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sarah E Sansom
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rachel D Yelin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Pamela Bell
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Krishna Rao
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Micah Keidan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alexandra Standke
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christine Bassis
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mary K Hayden
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Vincent B Young
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Gilboa M, Baharav N, Melzer E, Regev-Yochay G, Yahav D. Screening for Asymptomatic Clostridioides difficile Carriage Among Hospitalized Patients: A Narrative Review. Infect Dis Ther 2023; 12:2223-2240. [PMID: 37704801 PMCID: PMC10581986 DOI: 10.1007/s40121-023-00856-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has become the most common healthcare-associated infection in the United States, with considerable morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Assessing new preventive strategies is vital. We present a literature review of studies evaluating a strategy of screening and isolation of asymptomatic carriers in hospital settings. Asymptomatic detection of C. difficile is reported in ~ 10-20% of admitted patients. Risk factors for carriage include recent hospitalization, previous antibiotics, older age, lower functional capacity, immunosuppression, and others. Asymptomatic C. difficile carriers of toxigenic strains are at higher risk for progression to CDI. They are also shedders of C. difficile spores and may contribute to the persistence and transmission of this bacterium. Screening for asymptomatic carriers at hospital admission can theoretically reduce CDI by isolating carriers to reduce transmission, and implementing antibiotic stewardship measures targeting carriers to prevent progression to clinical illness. Several observational studies, summarized in this review, have reported implementing screening and isolation strategies, and found a reduction in CDI rates. Nevertheless, the data are still limited to a few observational studies, and this strategy is not commonly practiced. Studies supporting screening were performed in North America, coinciding with the period of dominance of the 027/BI/NAP1 strain. Additional studies evaluating screening, followed by infection control and antibiotic stewardship measures, are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayan Gilboa
- Infection Prevention Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
| | - Nadav Baharav
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Eyal Melzer
- Infection Prevention Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Gili Regev-Yochay
- Infection Prevention Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Dafna Yahav
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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de-la-Rosa-Martinez D, Bobadilla Del Valle M, Esteban-Kenel V, Zinser Peniche P, Ponce De León Garduño A, Cornejo Juárez P, Sánchez Cruz MN, Camacho-Ortiz A, Vilar-Compte D. Molecular characterization and genotyping of isolates from cancer patients with Clostridioides difficile infection or asymptomatic colonization. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 37624363 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Cancer patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) are at a higher risk for adverse outcomes. In addition, a high prevalence of Clostridioides difficile asymptomatic colonization (CDAC) has been reported in this vulnerable population.Gap Statement. The molecular characteristics and potential role of CDAC in healthcare-related transmission in the cancer population have been poorly explored.Aim. We aimed to compare the molecular and genotypic characteristics of C. difficile isolates from cancer patients with CDAC and CDI.Method. We conducted a prospective cohort study of cancer patients with CDAC or CDI from a referral centre. Molecular characterization, typification and tcdC gene expression of isolates were performed.Results. The hospital-onset and community-onset healthcare facility-associated CDI rates were 4.5 cases/10 000 patient-days and 1.4 cases/1 000 admissions during the study period. Fifty-one C. difficile strains were isolated: 37 (72 %) and 14 (28 %) from patients with CDI or CDAC, respectively. All isolates from symptomatic patients were tcdA+/tcdB+, and four (10 %) were ctdA+/ctdB+. In the CDAC group, 10 (71 %) isolates were toxigenic, and none were ctdA+/ctdB+. The Δ18 in-frame tcdC deletion and two transition mutations were found in five isolates. After bacterial typing, 60 % of toxigenic isolates from asymptomatic carriers were clonal to those from patients with C. difficile-associated diarrhoea. No NAP1/027/BI strains were detected.Conclusions. We found a clonal association between C. difficile isolates from patients with CDAC and CDI. Studies are needed to evaluate the potential role of asymptomatic carriers in the dynamics of nosocomial transmission to support infection control measures and reduce the burden of CDI in high-risk groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel de-la-Rosa-Martinez
- Plan de Estudios Combinados en Medicina (PECEM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, México City, Mexico
- Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Miriam Bobadilla Del Valle
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Veronica Esteban-Kenel
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paola Zinser Peniche
- Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Ponce De León Garduño
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - María Nancy Sánchez Cruz
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Adrian Camacho-Ortiz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario Dr. Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
| | - Diana Vilar-Compte
- Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
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7
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Jolivet S, Couturier J, Grohs P, Vilfaillot A, Zahar JR, Frange P, Casetta A, Moulin V, Lawrence C, Baune P, Bourgeois C, Bouffier A, Laussucq C, Sienzonit L, Picard S, Podglajen I, Kassis-Chikhani N, Barbut F. Prevalence and risk factors of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile asymptomatic carriage in 11 French hospitals. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1221363. [PMID: 37547619 PMCID: PMC10402895 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1221363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) incidence has increased over the last 20 years. Studies suggest that asymptomatic carriers may be an important reservoir of C. difficile in healthcare settings. We conducted a point prevalence study to estimate the toxigenic C. difficile asymptomatic carriage rate and the associated risk factors in patients >3 years old. Between September 16, 2019 and January 15, 2020, all patients hospitalized in 11 healthcare facilities in the Paris urban area were included in the study. They were screened on the day of the survey for toxigenic C. difficile carriage by rectal swab and interviewed. Isolates were characterized by PCR ribotyping and multiplex PCR targeting toxin genes. A logistic regression model was used to determine the risk factors associated with toxigenic C. difficile asymptomatic carriage using uni- and multivariate analysis in the subpopulation of patients >3 years old. During the study period, 2,389 patients were included and screened. The median age was 62 years (interquartile range 35-78 years) and 1,153 were male (48.3%). Nineteen patients had a previous CDI (0.9%). Overall, 185/2389 patients were positive for C. difficile (7.7%), including 93 toxigenic strains (3.9%): 77 (82.8%) were asymptomatic (prevalence 3.2%) whereas 12 (12.9%) were diarrheic. Prevalences of toxigenic C. difficile were 3.5% in patients >3 years old and 7.0% in ≤3 years old subjects, respectively. Toxigenic strains mainly belonged to PCR ribotypes 106 (n = 14, 15.0%), 014 (n = 12, 12.9%), and 020 (n = 10, 10.8%). Among toxigenic strains, 6 (6.4%) produced the binary toxin. In multivariate analysis, two factors were positively associated with toxigenic C. difficile asymptomatic carriage in patients >3 years old: multidrug-resistant organisms co-carriage [adjusted Odd Ratio (aOR) 2.3, CI 95% 1.2-4.7, p = 0.02] and previous CDI (aOR 5.8, CI 95% 1.2-28.6, p = 0.03). Conversely, consumption of raw milk products were associated with reduced risk of toxigenic C. difficile colonization (aOR 0.5, CI 95% 0.2-0.9, p = 0.01). We showed that there was a low prevalence of asymptomatic toxigenic C. difficile carriage in hospitalized patients. Consumption of raw milk prevents toxigenic C. difficile colonization, probably due to the barrier effect of milk-associated bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Jolivet
- Unité de prévention du risque infectieux, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Jeanne Couturier
- Laboratoire de microbiologie de l’environnement, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France
- National Reference Laboratory for Clostridioides difficile, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Grohs
- Laboratoire de microbiologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Vilfaillot
- Unité de Recherche Clinique, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
- INSERM Centre d’Investigation Clinique 1418, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Ralph Zahar
- Unité de Prévention du Risque infectieux, Hôpitaux Avicenne, Bobigny/Jean Verdier, Bondy/René Muret, Sevran, France
| | - Pierre Frange
- Équipe de Prévention du Risque infectieux, Laboratoire de microbiologie clinique, Hôpital Necker – Enfants malades, Groupe hospitalier Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP) Centre – Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Anne Casetta
- Équipe de Prévention du Risque infectieux, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Véronique Moulin
- Équipe de Prévention du Risque infectieux, Hôpitaux Corentin Celton/Vaugirard, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
| | - Christine Lawrence
- Équipe de Prévention du Risque infectieux, GHU Paris-Saclay site R. Poincaré, Garches, France
| | - Patricia Baune
- Équipe de Prévention du Risque infectieux, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France
| | - Cléo Bourgeois
- Unité de Recherche Clinique, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
- INSERM Centre d’Investigation Clinique 1418, Paris, France
| | - Axel Bouffier
- Unité de Recherche Clinique, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
- INSERM Centre d’Investigation Clinique 1418, Paris, France
| | - Claudine Laussucq
- Laboratoire de microbiologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Lydia Sienzonit
- Laboratoire de microbiologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Simon Picard
- Laboratoire de microbiologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Podglajen
- Laboratoire de microbiologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Najiby Kassis-Chikhani
- Équipe de Prévention du Risque infectieux, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Barbut
- Unité de prévention du risque infectieux, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de microbiologie de l’environnement, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France
- National Reference Laboratory for Clostridioides difficile, Paris, France
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8
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Worley JN, Crothers JW, Wolfgang WJ, Venkata SLG, Hoffmann M, Jayeola V, Klompas M, Allard M, Bry L. Prospective Genomic Surveillance Reveals Cryptic MRSA Outbreaks with Local to International Origins among NICU Patients. J Clin Microbiol 2023; 61:e0001423. [PMID: 37022157 PMCID: PMC10204624 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00014-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections cause substantive morbidity and mortality in neonates. Using publicly available resources from the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) GalaxyTrakr pipeline, we illustrate the dynamics of MRSA colonization and infection in neonates. Over 217 days of prospective surveillance, analyses revealed concurrent MRSA transmission chains affecting 11 of 17 MRSA-colonized patients (65%), with two clusters that demonstrated intervals of more than a month among the appearance of isolates. All MRSA infected neonates (n = 3) showed previous colonization with the infecting strain. GalaxyTrakr clustering of the NICU strains, in the context of 21,521 international isolates deposited in NCBI's Pathogen Detection Resource, revealed NICU isolates to be distinct from adult MRSA strains seen locally and internationally. Clustering of the NICU strains within an international context enhanced the resolution of strain clusters and supported the rule-out of suspected, local transmission events within the NICU. Analyses also identified sequence type 1535 isolates, emergent in the Middle East, carrying a unique SCCmec with fusC and aac(6')-Ie/aph(2'')-1a that provided a multidrug-resistant phenotype. NICU genomic pathogen surveillance, leveraging public repositories and outbreak detection tools, supports rapid identification of cryptic MRSA clusters, and can inform infection prevention interventions for this vulnerable patient population. Results demonstrate that sporadic infections in the NICU may be indicative of hidden chains of asymptomatic transmission best identified with sequenced-based approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay N. Worley
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jessica W. Crothers
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, Vermont, USA
- Translational Global Infectious Disease Research Center, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - William J. Wolfgang
- Wadsworth Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Sai Laxmi Gubbala Venkata
- Wadsworth Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Maria Hoffmann
- Center for Food Safety and Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Victor Jayeola
- Center for Food Safety and Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael Klompas
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marc Allard
- Center for Food Safety and Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Lynn Bry
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Tian S, Xiong X, Zeng J, Wang S, Tremblay BJM, Chen P, Chen B, Liu M, Chen P, Sheng K, Zeve D, Qi W, Breault DT, Rodríguez C, Gerhard R, Jin R, Doxey AC, Dong M. Identification of TFPI as a receptor reveals recombination-driven receptor switching in Clostridioides difficile toxin B variants. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6786. [PMID: 36351897 PMCID: PMC9646764 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33964-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxin B (TcdB) is a major exotoxin responsible for diseases associated with Clostridioides difficile infection. Its sequence variations among clinical isolates may contribute to the difficulty in developing effective therapeutics. Here, we investigate receptor-binding specificity of major TcdB subtypes (TcdB1 to TcdB12). We find that representative members of subtypes 2, 4, 7, 10, 11, and 12 do not recognize the established host receptor, frizzled proteins (FZDs). Using a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9-mediated screen, we identify tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) as a host receptor for TcdB4. TFPI is recognized by a region in TcdB4 that is homologous to the FZD-binding site in TcdB1. Analysis of 206 TcdB variant sequences reveals a set of six residues within this receptor-binding site that defines a TFPI binding-associated haplotype (designated B4/B7) that is present in all TcdB4 members, a subset of TcdB7, and one member of TcdB2. Intragenic micro-recombination (IR) events have occurred around this receptor-binding region in TcdB7 and TcdB2 members, resulting in either TFPI- or FZD-binding capabilities. Introduction of B4/B7-haplotype residues into TcdB1 enables dual recognition of TFPI and FZDs. Finally, TcdB10 also recognizes TFPI, although it does not belong to the B4/B7 haplotype, and shows species selectivity: it recognizes TFPI of chicken and to a lesser degree mouse, but not human, dog, or cattle versions. These findings identify TFPI as a TcdB receptor and reveal IR-driven changes on receptor-specificity among TcdB variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songhai Tian
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Xiaozhe Xiong
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ji Zeng
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Siyu Wang
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China
| | - Benjamin Jean-Marie Tremblay
- Department of Biology, Cheriton School of Computer Science, and Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Baohua Chen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Pengsheng Chen
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kuanwei Sheng
- Wyss Institute for Bioinspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Daniel Zeve
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Wanshu Qi
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - David T Breault
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, 7 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - César Rodríguez
- Faculty of Microbiology & CIET, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Ralf Gerhard
- Institute of Toxicology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rongsheng Jin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Andrew C Doxey
- Department of Biology, Cheriton School of Computer Science, and Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Min Dong
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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10
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Smits WK, Harmanus C, Sanders IMJG, Bry L, Blackwell GA, Ducarmon QR, de Oliveira Ferreira E, Kuijper EJ. Sequence-Based Identification of Metronidazole-Resistant Clostridioides difficile Isolates. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:2308-2311. [PMID: 36286226 PMCID: PMC9622256 DOI: 10.3201/eid2811.220615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The plasmid pCD-METRO confers metronidazole resistance in Clostridioides difficile. We showed high sequence similarity among pCD-METRO plasmids from different isolates and identified pCD-METRO and associated metronidazole-resistant isolates in clinical and veterinary reservoirs in the Americas. We recommend using PCR or genomic assays to detect pCD-METRO in metronidazole-resistant C. difficile.
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11
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Dawkins JJ, Allegretti JR, Gibson TE, McClure E, Delaney M, Bry L, Gerber GK. Gut metabolites predict Clostridioides difficile recurrence. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:87. [PMID: 35681218 PMCID: PMC9178838 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01284-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the most common hospital acquired infection in the USA, with recurrence rates > 15%. Although primary CDI has been extensively linked to gut microbial dysbiosis, less is known about the factors that promote or mitigate recurrence. Moreover, previous studies have not shown that microbial abundances in the gut measured by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing alone can accurately predict CDI recurrence. RESULTS We conducted a prospective, longitudinal study of 53 non-immunocompromised participants with primary CDI. Stool sample collection began pre-CDI antibiotic treatment at the time of diagnosis, and continued up to 8 weeks post-antibiotic treatment, with weekly or twice weekly collections. Samples were analyzed using (1) 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, (2) liquid chromatography/mass-spectrometry metabolomics measuring 1387 annotated metabolites, and (3) short-chain fatty acid profiling. The amplicon sequencing data showed significantly delayed recovery of microbial diversity in recurrent participants, and depletion of key anaerobic taxa at multiple time-points, including Clostridium cluster XIVa and IV taxa. The metabolomic data also showed delayed recovery in recurrent participants, and moreover mapped to pathways suggesting distinct functional abnormalities in the microbiome or host, such as decreased microbial deconjugation activity, lowered levels of endocannabinoids, and elevated markers of host cell damage. Further, using predictive statistical/machine learning models, we demonstrated that the metabolomic data, but not the other data sources, can accurately predict future recurrence at 1 week (AUC 0.77 [0.71, 0.86; 95% interval]) and 2 weeks (AUC 0.77 [0.69, 0.85; 95% interval]) post-treatment for primary CDI. CONCLUSIONS The prospective, longitudinal, and multi-omic nature of our CDI recurrence study allowed us to uncover previously unrecognized dynamics in the microbiome and host presaging recurrence, and, in particular, to elucidate changes in the understudied gut metabolome. Moreover, we demonstrated that a small set of metabolites can accurately predict future recurrence. Our findings have implications for development of diagnostic tests and treatments that could ultimately short-circuit the cycle of CDI recurrence, by providing candidate metabolic biomarkers for diagnostics development, as well as offering insights into the complex microbial and metabolic alterations that are protective or permissive for recurrence. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J. Dawkins
- Department of Pathology, Brigham & Woman’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Harvard-MIT Health Sciences & Technology, Harvard Medical School, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Jessica R. Allegretti
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Boston, MA USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Brigham & Woman’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Travis E. Gibson
- Department of Pathology, Brigham & Woman’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Emma McClure
- Division of Gastroenterology, Brigham & Woman’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Mary Delaney
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Boston, MA USA
| | - Lynn Bry
- Department of Pathology, Brigham & Woman’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Boston, MA USA
| | - Georg K. Gerber
- Department of Pathology, Brigham & Woman’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Harvard-MIT Health Sciences & Technology, Harvard Medical School, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Boston, MA USA
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12
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Le Monnier A, Candela T, Mizrahi A, Bille E, Bourgeois-Nicolaos N, Cattoir V, Farfour E, Grall I, Lecointe D, Limelette A, Marcade G, Poilane I, Poupy P, Kansau I, Zahar JR, Pilmis B, Hartmann C, Kazhalawi A, Lambert-Bordes S, Bleunven S, Bedos Réanimation JP, Greder-Belan A, Rigaudeau S, Lecuyer H, Jousset A, Lebeaux D, Levy B, Rabate C, Collignon A, Batah J, Francois V, Sebbane G, Woerther PL, Loggia G, Michon J, Verdon R, Samba D, Méar JB, Guillard T, Nguyen Y, Banisadr F, Delmer A, Himberlin C, Diallo S, Furet I, Achouri B, Reksa A, Jouveshomme S, Menage E, Philippart F, Hadj-Abdeslam M, Durand-Gasselin B, Eveillard M, Kouatchet A, Schmidt A, Salanoubat C, Heurtaux MN, Cronier P, Foufa A. One-day prevalence of asymptomatic carriage of toxigenic and non-toxigenic Clostridioides difficile in 10 French hospitals. J Hosp Infect 2022; 129:65-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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13
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Chen Y, Lv T, Yan D, Zheng L, Zheng B, Wang J, Gu S, Li L. Disordered Intestinal Microbial Communities During Clostridioides difficile Colonization and Subsequent Infection of Hepatic Cirrhosis Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in China. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:825189. [PMID: 35433508 PMCID: PMC9010725 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.825189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with hepatic cirrhosis are more susceptible to Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and colonization with Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile). Asymptomatic C. difficile colonization is thought to predispose to subsequent CDI. However, the dynamic gut microbiota changes remain unclear. In this study, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to longitudinally monitor alterations in the intestinal microbiota of 22 hepatic cirrhosis patients with toxigenic C. difficile colonization at admission (pre-CDI) and developed CDI during hospitalization, subdivided into pre-CDI and CDI. 21 hospitalized cirrhotic patients without C. difficile colonization served as controls (HC). Compared with HC, pre-CDI and CDI samples had significantly decreased microbial richness and diversity, a significantly higher relative abundance of opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus, and a lower relative abundance of beneficial symbionts, such as Faecalibacterium, Dorea, and Roseburia. Three biomarkers showed high accuracy for distinguishing pre-CDI samples from HC with an area under the curve (AUC) up to 0.81. In conclusion, our study explored the changes of the gut microbiome before and after CDI. The gut microbial richness as well as diversity in CDI patients were notably reduced, relative to controls. Imbalance of the intestinal flora may be related to the risk for development of CDI. Identifying key members of the gut microbiota and illustrating their roles and mechanisms of action in CDI development are important avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunbo Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tao Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dong Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lisi Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Beiwen Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingxia Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Silan Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Silan Gu,
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Bacterial Research Platform, Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, China
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14
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Phylogenomics of 8,839 Clostridioides difficile genomes reveals recombination-driven evolution and diversification of toxin A and B. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1009181. [PMID: 33370413 PMCID: PMC7853461 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the major worldwide cause of antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal infection. A pathogenicity locus (PaLoc) encoding one or two homologous toxins, toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB), is essential for C. difficile pathogenicity. However, toxin sequence variation poses major challenges for the development of diagnostic assays, therapeutics, and vaccines. Here, we present a comprehensive phylogenomic analysis of 8,839 C. difficile strains and their toxins including 6,492 genomes that we assembled from the NCBI short read archive. A total of 5,175 tcdA and 8,022 tcdB genes clustered into 7 (A1-A7) and 12 (B1-B12) distinct subtypes, which form the basis of a new method for toxin-based subtyping of C. difficile. We developed a haplotype coloring algorithm to visualize amino acid variation across all toxin sequences, which revealed that TcdB has diversified through extensive homologous recombination throughout its entire sequence, and formed new subtypes through distinct recombination events. In contrast, TcdA varies mainly in the number of repeats in its C-terminal repetitive region, suggesting that recombination-mediated diversification of TcdB provides a selective advantage in C. difficile evolution. The application of toxin subtyping is then validated by classifying 351 C. difficile clinical isolates from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, demonstrating its clinical utility. Subtyping partitions TcdB into binary functional and antigenic groups generated by intragenic recombinations, including two distinct cell-rounding phenotypes, whether recognizing frizzled proteins as receptors, and whether it can be efficiently neutralized by monoclonal antibody bezlotoxumab, the only FDA-approved therapeutic antibody. Our analysis also identifies eight universally conserved surface patches across the TcdB structure, representing ideal targets for developing broad-spectrum therapeutics. Finally, we established an open online database (DiffBase) as a central hub for collection and classification of C. difficile toxins, which will help clinicians decide on therapeutic strategies targeting specific toxin variants, and allow researchers to monitor the ongoing evolution and diversification of C. difficile.
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