title: The contribution of strains and hosts to outcomes in Clostridium difficile infection.
abstract: Acquisition of Clostridium difficile spores can be followed by a spectrum of clinical outcomes ranging from asymptomatic transit through the bowel to severe colitis and death. This clinical variability is a product of bacterial virulence and host susceptibility to the pathogen. It is important to identify patients at high risk of poor outcome so that increased monitoring and optimal treatment strategies can be instigated. This article discusses the evidence linking strain type to clinical outcome, including the importance of toxin and nontoxin virulence factors. It reviews host factors and their relationship with C difficile infection susceptibility, recurrence, and mortality.
authors.affiliation: University of Leeds, Old Medical School, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK. Electronic address: jessicamartin@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D015415:Biomarkers; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D005838:Genotype; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D058889:Molecular Typing; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Biomarkers; Clostridium difficile; Mortality; Recurrence; Ribotype; Risk factors; Strain