Open AccessDetection of the ADP‐ribosyltransferase toxin gene ( cdt A) and its activity in Clostridium difficile isolates from Equidae
Author(s) -
Braun Martin,
Herholz Cornelia,
Straub Reto,
Choisat Béatrice,
Frey Joachim,
Nicolet Jacques,
Kuhnert Peter
Publication year - 2000
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.1574-6968.2000.tb08985.x
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , enterotoxin , clostridium difficile , equidae , biology , ribotyping , clostridium difficile toxin a , toxin , clostridium difficile toxin b , gene , clostridiaceae , virology , antibiotics , polymerase chain reaction , genetics , escherichia coli , paleontology
Clostridium difficile is an antibiotic‐associated emerging pathogen of humans and animals. Thus far three toxins of C. difficile have been described: an enterotoxin (ToxA), a cytotoxin (ToxB) and an ADP‐ribosyltransferase (CDT). In the present work we describe the first isolation of CDT producing C. difficile from Equidae with gastro‐intestinal disease. Out of 17 C. difficile strains isolated from Equidae, 11 were positive for the genes tcd A and tcd B encoding ToxA and ToxB. In addition four of these 11 isolates were positive for the cdt A gene encoding the catalytic subunit of the ADP‐ribosyltransferase CDT. Interestingly none of the isolates derived from canines (41 isolates) and felines (4 isolates) harboured the cdt A gene. In C. difficile field isolates which contained the cdt A gene, ADP‐ribosyltransferase activity could also be detected in culture supernatants indicating expression and secretion of CDT. All strains were associated with intestinal disorders, but no association was found for the occurrence of toxins with a specific clinical diagnosis.