title: The occurrence and high diversity of Clostridium difficile genotypes in rivers.
abstract: Clostridium difficile is mainly associated with nosocomial infections but can be present also in other environments. In this study we compared three methods (culturing with and without ethanol shock and real-time PCR) for detection of C. difficile in water and have used them on a series of river water samples. C. difficile was present in 17 of 25 rivers tested (68.0%) and in 42 of 69 water samples tested (60.9%). Positive sampling sites correlated with increased population densities. Isolates were distributed into 34 PCR ribotypes, of which more than half are present also in humans and animals. PCR ribotype 014 was the predominate type (16.2% of all isolates).
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health Maribor, Prvomajska 1, Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Valerija
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zidaric
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beigot
authors.forename: Slavko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lapajne
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rupnik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D021521:Ribotyping; D045483:Rivers / Q000382:microbiology*