title: Association between production of toxins A and B and types of Clostridium difficile.
abstract: One hundred and seventy two strains of Clostridium difficile isolated from 62 patients with antibiotic associated diarrhoea or pseudomembranous colitis were analysed for the production of toxins A and B and typed using 35S-methionine labelling followed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). There was a correlation between production of toxins A and B and the type of C difficile. One hundred and forty four of 172 strains were either high or low producers of both toxins. Toxins were not detected in 28 of 172 strains. Types A and Y were consistently non-toxin producers; types B and E were high toxin producers. Type X, the epidemic strain, showed variable toxin production. Symptoms of 49 patients with haematological malignant pathology who were part of a documented outbreak of antibiotic associated diarrhoea, were analysed in relation to toxin production and type of the clinical strains isolated. In general, there was a correlation between symptoms of antibiotic associated diarrhoea, the type of C difficile, and its potential for producing toxins.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003013:Clostridium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000382:microbiology; D004768:Enterotoxins; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; C041348:tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile