title: Clostridium difficile recurrent infection: possible implication of TA systems.
abstract: Clostridium difficile is an important nosocomial pathogen associated with antibiotic treatments. C. difficile's ability to survive antimicrobial therapy and transition from inert colonization to active infection is one of the most perplexing aspects of C. difficile infections and suggests that additional mechanisms are involved in persistence. In this regard, novel mechanisms linked with pathogenesis and persistence of C. difficile such as toxin-antitoxin systems might significantly contribute to biofilm formation and persistent infection. This review will focus on advances of toxin-antitoxin systems in C. difficile and their putative roles will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, República 217, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Gut Microbiota & Clostridia Research Group, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, República 217, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pizarro-Guajardo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, República 217, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Álvarez
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garavaglia
authors.affiliation: Gut Microbiota & Clostridia Research Group, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, República 217, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paredes-Sabja
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000992:Antitoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000992:Antitoxins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins
keywords: Clostridium difficile; TA system; persistence; relapsing infection