We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Genomics Approach Helps to Investigate Transmission of Clostridium Difficile

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 02 Jan 2013
Analysis of genomes from patients treated for Clostridium difficile infections was used to investigate how the bacteria were transmitted in hospitals.

The study, which was published on December 21, 2012, in the open access journal Genome Biology, took a genomics approach to assess the incidence of patient-to-patient transmission of C. More...
difficile. The study was supported by the National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Center (Oxford, United Kingdom), a collaboration between Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and Oxford University.

A team of scientists sequenced the genomes of C. difficile isolated from 486 patients treated at four hospitals in Oxfordshire (United Kingdom) between 2006 and 2010. Scientists counted the number of genetic differences between different isolates and estimated the mutation rate of the bacteria. They were able to determine the likely time at which any two isolates became genetically separate and thus, whether the two patients in question could have plausibly caught the infection from each other in the hospital. In other words, genetic divergence implies a time-scale that can be used for judging the likelihood of direct transmission.

The results of the study indicated that, although transmission between patients could occur, it actually happens at relatively low frequency. In particular, concerns that healthcare teams were spreading infection between different hospitals seem to be misplaced. One exception to this general finding is that there were a large number of cases of infection from one particular strain that does appear to have been due to patient-to-patient transmission, emphasizing the epidemic nature of this lineage. Notably, this strain has declined in UK hospitals in the last five years.

Dr. Xavier Didelot, the study's lead author, said, "This research opens up very exciting opportunities for better understanding how bacterial infections are spread, and what we can do to stop them. The reduced cost of sequencing whole bacterial genomes means we now have the technology for identifying very recent transmissions of infection. Moreover, we can apply this technology even in cases when infection control teams have no suspicion that routes of contact between patients might exist."

Related Links:

National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Center





New
Gold Member
Cardiovascular Risk Test
Metabolic Syndrome Array I & II
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Hemodynamic System Monitor
OptoMonitor
New
Specimen Radiography System
TrueView 200 Pro
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: A diagnostic test can distinguish patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who can be cured with surgery alone (Photo courtesy of University of Turku)

Novel Diagnostic Tool to Revolutionize Treatment Guidance of Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a solid tumor type commonly treated with surgery. However, there has been no clinically available method to determine which patients can be cured with surgery... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The microfluidic device for passive separation of platelet-rich plasma from whole blood (Photo courtesy of University of the Basque Country)

Portable and Disposable Device Obtains Platelet-Rich Plasma Without Complex Equipment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) plays a crucial role in regenerative medicine due to its ability to accelerate healing and repair tissue. However, obtaining PRP traditionally requires expensive centrifugation... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The 3D paper-based analytical device has shown high clinical accuracy for adult-onset immunodeficiency (Photo courtesy of National Taiwan University)

Paper-Based Device Accurately Detects Immune Defects in 10 Minutes

Patients with hidden immune defects are especially vulnerable to severe and persistent infections, often due to autoantibodies that block interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), a key molecule in immune defense.... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The Check4 gene-detection platform (Photo courtesy of IdentifySensors)

Electronic Biosensors Used to Detect Pathogens Can Rapidly Detect Cancer Cells

A major challenge in healthcare is the early and affordable detection of serious diseases such as cancer. Early diagnosis remains difficult due to the complexity of identifying specific genetic markers... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.