Open AccessTyping of toxic strains of Clostridium difficile using DNA fingerprints generated with arbitrary polymerase chain reaction primers
Author(s) -
McMillin David E.,
Muldrow Lycurgus L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1992.tb05225.x
Subject(s) - clostridium difficile , typing , polymerase chain reaction , pseudomembranous colitis , microbiology and biotechnology , clostridium difficile toxin a , toxin , clostridiaceae , biology , ribotyping , clostridium , bacteria , gene , genetics , antibiotics
Clostridium difficile is the causative agent for pseudomembranous colitis in humans. Toxic strains of C. difficile produce two toxins, toxin A and toxin B. A reliable and definitive method of typing the toxic strains of C. difficile is needed since nosocomial cross infection is a primary concern in hospitals and other health care facilities. A method for typing toxic strains of Clostridium difficile using arbitrary polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers is presented in this study. The C. difficile strains were initially characterized for the toxin A genetic determinant using specific PCR primers which differentiate toxin positive from toxin negative strains. These toxic strains were then PCR typed using six arbitrary primers which generated DNA patterns that were unique for all toxic strains examined. The use of this typing scheme in clinical applications is discussed.