Enzyme electrophoresis combined with serogrouping for improved differentiation of Clostridium difficile strains

• Published in: FEMS immunology and medical microbiology Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 187 - 193
• Main Authors: Bories, Phuong Nhi, Migot-Santos, Hélène, Niel, Philippe, Avesani, Véronique, Delmée, Michel, Leluan, Georges
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-07-1996
• Subjects: Bacterial Typing Techniques; Clostridium difficile; Clostridium difficile - classification; Clostridium difficile - enzymology; Clostridium difficile - isolation & purification; Cross Infection - microbiology; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous - microbiology; Enzyme electrophoretic typing; Enzymes - isolation & purification; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Humans; Serogrouping; Serotyping; Serogrouping; Enzyme electrophoretic typing
• ISSN: 0928-8244; 1574-695X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.1996.tb00286.x

Abstract
We used enzyme electrophoresis to study a set of epidemiologically related and unrelated isolates of Clostridium difficile. The 53 strains belonged to the most frequent serogroups (A1, C, G, H and K). Nine electrophoretic profiles were defined on the basis of five enzymes, and two were characteristic of a single strain. Each serogroup was resolved into two or three different enzyme patterns. By combining the two methods we were able to resolve the strains into 12 types. There was an excellent correlation between enzyme electrophoresis and serogrouping data. This method may be of use in investigating nosocomial transmission.