title: Comparison of polymerase chain reaction ribotyping, toxinotyping and nutritional aspects of toxin production ofClostridium difficilestrains.
abstract: Clostridium difficile(C. difficile) is the leading cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals worldwide. Enterotoxin A (TcdA) and cytotoxin B (TcdB), have been identified as the main virulence factors ofC. difficile. In China, data on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotypes and abilities of hospital-derivedC. difficileisolates to produce TcdA and TcdB are sparse. In this study, we identified 40C. difficileisolates from the Taizhou hospital and investigated their PCR ribotypes based on the 16S-23S rRNA gene intergenic spacer region. The ability of different ribotypes to produce TcdA and TcdB was determined by immunochromatography and cytotoxicity assays, respectively. The effects of the nutritional status on the production of these toxins were also investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Central Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Central Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Central Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Central Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xianjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Central Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Laboratory and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhaoyun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Clostridium difficile; nutritional aspects; polymerase chain reaction ribotyping; toxinotyping