Ability of two Clostridium difficile strains from man and hare to produce cytotoxin in vitro and in gnotobiotic rodent intestines.
Cytotoxin production by human (VP1) and hare (FD) strains of Clostridium difficile were compared both in vitro in a broth culture and in vivo in intestinal contents of gnotobiotic rodents. Strain VP1 produced about 1,000 times more cytotoxin than the FD strain, both in vitro and in vivo, although the population levels of the two strains were not significantly different either in vitro or in vivo. Ninety percent of gnotobiotic rats and 100% of gnotobiotic mice established with the VP1 strain died within 3 days, whereas no mortality in rats or mice was observed with the FD strain. The cytotoxin titre increased during the 3 weeks following establishment of the FD strain in mice, decreasing thereafter. Mice previously established with the FD strain were protected from VP1 strain challenge. Cytotoxin production was greatly decreased in diassociated mice, although the population levels of the two strains did not differ to a great extent.
Laboratoire d'Ecologie Microbienne, Centre National de Recherches Zootechniques, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
G
G
Corthier
F
F
Dubos
P
P
Raibaud
D000818:Animals; D003013:Clostridium / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats
D003603:Cytotoxins