Aerial dissemination of Clostridium difficile on a pig farm and its environment.
Clostridium difficile is increasingly recognized as an important enteropathogen in both humans and animals. The finding of C. difficile in air samples in hospitals suggests a role for aerial dissemination in the transmission of human C. difficile infection. The present study was designed to investigate the occurrence of airborne C. difficile in, and nearby a pig farm with a high prevalence of C. difficile. Airborne colony counts in the farrowing pens peaked on the moments shortly after or during personnel activity in the pens (P=0.043 (farrowing pens 1, 2), P=0.034 (farrowing pen 2)). A decrease in airborne C. difficile colony counts was observed parallel to aging of the piglets. Airborne C. difficile was detected up to 20 m distant from the farm. This study showed widespread aerial dissemination of C. difficile on a pig farm that was positively associated with personnel activity.
Utrecht University, Division of Public Health and Food Safety, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, PO Box 80175, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
E C
EC
Keessen
C J
CJ
Donswijk
S P
SP
Hol
C
C
Hermanus
E J
EJ
Kuijper
L J A
LJ
Lipman
D000391:Air Microbiology; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D013552:Swine