Molecular epidemiology of Clostridium difficile strains in children compared with that of strains circulating in adults with Clostridium difficile-associated infection

Abstract

Molecular analysis of Clostridium difficile (28 isolates) from children (n ∇ 128) in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, identified eight toxigenic genotypes. Six of these were isolated from 27% of concurrent adult C. difficile-associated infections studied (n ∇ 83). No children carried hypervirulent PCR ribotype 027. Children could participate in the transmission of some adult disease-causing genotypes. Copyright © 2011, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.