Diversity of C. difficile PCR ribotypes isolated from hospitalised patients in Slovenia during two-winter-month period

  • Maja Rupnik NLZOH Maribor Prvomajska 1 2000 Maribor
  • Sara Beigot Glaser NLZOH Maribor Prvomajska 1 2000 Maribor
  • Alenka Andlovic Inštitut za mikrobiologijo in imunologijo Medicinska fakulteta Univerza v Ljubljani Zaloška 4 1000 Ljubljana
  • Ingrid Berce Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Nova Gorica Vipavska cesta 13 Rožna Dolina
  • Tjaša Čretnik Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Celje Ipavčeva 18 3000 Celje
  • Bojan Drinovec Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Koper Vojkovo nabrežje 4a 6000 Koper
  • Tatjan Harlander Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Novo mesto Mej vrti 5 8000 Novo mesto
  • Nadja Orešič Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Maribor Prvomajska 1 2000 Maribor
  • Mateja Ravnik Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Kranj Gosposvetska ulica 12 4000 Kranj
  • Iztok Štrumbelj Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Murska Sobota Arhitekta Novaka 2b 9000 Murska Sobota
Keywords: Clostridium difficile, nosocomial infections, ribotype 027, microbiology diagnostics

Abstract

Background: Clostridium difficile is an important cause of nosocomial diarrhoea. Strains are further differentiated into PCR ribotypes, and some ribotypes (e.g. 027) are often associated with outbreaks, increased disease severity and increased mortality. Here we describe the diversity of C. difficile among human isolates in Slovenia.

Methods: All eight microbiological diagnostic laboratories providing C. difficile diagnostics in Slovenia have participated. Isolates from two–month- winter period were collected and ribotyped. The following data were also collected from the laboratories: number of all tested samples, number of all positive samples, and patient age and gender.

Results: In a two-month period, altogether 860 samples were tested for C. difficile in all participating laboratories. Of those, 154 (17.9 %) samples from 125 patients were positive. The percentage of positive samples in different laboratories ranged from 13.3 to 43.2 %. Two out of eight laboratories did not have positive samples. C. difficile strains (n= 149) were grouped into 35 ribotypes. However, 57.7 % of all strains belonged only to two PCR ribotypes (027 and 014/020). PCR ribotype 027 was not present in Slovenia until 2010, but was in this study the most prevalent PCR ribotype and present mainly in the northeast region.

Conclusions: There is a substantial diversity of C. difficile ribotypes in Slovenia. A high prevalence of ribotype 027 and a high percentage of positive samples in some laboratories indicate the presence of C. difficile outbreaks.

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How to Cite
1.
Rupnik M, Beigot Glaser S, Andlovic A, Berce I, Čretnik T, Drinovec B, Harlander T, Orešič N, Ravnik M, Štrumbelj I. Diversity of C. difficile PCR ribotypes isolated from hospitalised patients in Slovenia during two-winter-month period. TEST ZdravVestn [Internet]. 1 [cited 15May2024];82(11). Available from: http://vestnik-dev.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/990
Issue
Vol 82 No 11 (2013): November
Section
Original article


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