Clostridium difficile in ready-to-eat salads, Scotland

Emerg Infect Dis. 2009 May;15(5):817-8. doi: 10.3201/eid1505.081186.

Abstract

Of 40 ready-to-eat salads, 3 (7.5%) were positive for Clostridium difficile by PCR. Two isolates were PCR ribotype 017 (toxin A-, B+), and 1 was PCR ribotype 001. Isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and metronidazole but variably resistant to other antimicrobial drugs. Ready-to-eat salads may be potential sources for virulent C. difficile.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Clostridioides difficile / classification
  • Clostridioides difficile / drug effects
  • Clostridioides difficile / genetics
  • Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Enterotoxins / genetics
  • Food Contamination*
  • Lactuca / microbiology*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Ribotyping
  • Scotland
  • Spinacia oleracea / microbiology*
  • Spores, Bacterial / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Enterotoxins
  • tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile
  • toxB protein, Clostridium difficile