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Review
. 2015 Mar;29(1):29-35.
doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2014.11.010. Epub 2015 Jan 9.

Potential sources of Clostridium difficile in human infection

Martijn P Bauer  1 , Ed J Kuijper  2
Affiliations
Review

Potential sources of Clostridium difficile in human infection

Martijn P Bauer et al. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

The view of Clostridium difficile infection as a hospital-acquired infection transmitted only by symptomatic patients is changing. Although C difficile is present in food for human consumption, food-borne infection caused by C difficile has never been confirmed. More information on the infective dose and the level of contamination is needed to determine the risk for food-borne exposure to C difficile in humans. The emergence of C difficile polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotype 078 in humans is epidemiologically linked to its presence in piglets and calves and their environment, suggesting zoonotic transmission.

Keywords: Animals; Food; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; PCR ribotype 078; Pigs; Spores; Transmission; Zoonosis.

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