Contamination of home-grown and retail vegetables with Clostridioidesdifficile. (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Scholtzek, Anissa D.; Heise, Janine; Witt, Pascal; Hanuschik, Anna Maria; Maurischat, Sven
• Is Part Of: Anaerobe. Volume 74(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: C. difficile -- Food safety -- Potatoes -- Ready-to-eat salads -- Antimicrobial resistance; Anaerobic infections -- Periodicals; Anaerobic bacteria -- Periodicals; Bacterial diseases -- Periodicals; Computer network resources; Anaerobic protozoa -- Periodicals; 579.3
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2021.102512
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1075-9964

Abstract

Abstract: The opportunistic intestinal pathogen Clostridioides difficile is the number one cause of nosocomial diarrhea in humans. In this study, C. difficile was isolated from 26.7% of potatoes and 1.9% of salads from German retail. The majority of strains possessed toxinogenic PCR-ribotypes that are associated with human clinical cases pointing towards a potential risk to human health. Highlights: High prevalence (26.7%) of C. difficile in home-grown and retail potatoes. Contamination rates in ready-to-eat mixed salads significantly higher than in whole salad. Most isolates (62.5%) belonged to toxigenic PCR-ribotypes (RT002, 005, 014, 023, 078). Association of identified PCR-ribotypes with human clinical cases. Most isolates (14/16) were susceptible to all six investigated antimicrobials.