title: Comparison of two selective media for the recovery of Clostridium difficile from environmental surfaces.
abstract: Two culture media were compared for their ability to isolate Clostridium difficile from environmental sites within a UK hospital. The media were cefoxitin-cycloserine-egg yolk agar plus lysozyme (CCEY/L) and chromID C. difficile. A wide range of environmental surfaces was sampled using sterile sponges (Polywipes) and these were inoculated on to both media. C. difficile was recovered from 105 of 496 sites (21%) using a combination of both media. The sensitivity of chromID C. difficile was 87.6% compared with 26.6% for CCEY/L (P < 0.0001). chromID C. difficile performed significantly better than CCEY/L for the recovery of C. difficile from the environment.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. kerry.hill@nuth.nhs.uk
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Gould
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006761:Hospitals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media