title: Typing of Clostridium difficile.
abstract: Clostridium difficile is primarily recognised as a nosocomially acquired pathogen manifesting in gastrointestinal disease subsequent to the patient receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics. Infection can be sporadic, but outbreaks commonly occur within a ward or hospital as a result of cross-infection. Since the 1980s, the epidemiology of C. difficile disease has been studied by the application of many different typing or fingerprinting methods; these, and the lessons learned, are reviewed herein.
authors.affiliation: Anaerobe Reference Unit, Public Health Laboratory, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Brazier
mesh_terms: D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000379:methods; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique / Q000379:methods; D021521:Ribotyping / Q000379:methods; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial