Dominance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging PCR ribotype 955 in hospitals in Silesia, Poland

IntroductionToxigenic strains of Clostridioides difficile are the leading cause of healthcare-associated bacterial infections in Poland. In the Silesian Voivodeship, with 4.5 million inhabitants, the incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) in 2023 reached 65.1/100,000, slightly down from 70.0/100,...

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Main Authors: Klaudia Szarek, Natalia Frankowska, Monika Kabała, Wiep Klaas Smits, Dorota Wultańska, Piotr Lalowski, Hanna Pituch, Adam Iwanicki, Krzysztof Hinc, Céline Harmanus, Ingrid M. J. G. Sanders, Robert Wojtyczka, Tomasz J. Wąsik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1644051/full
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author Klaudia Szarek
Natalia Frankowska
Natalia Frankowska
Monika Kabała
Wiep Klaas Smits
Dorota Wultańska
Piotr Lalowski
Hanna Pituch
Adam Iwanicki
Krzysztof Hinc
Céline Harmanus
Ingrid M. J. G. Sanders
Robert Wojtyczka
Tomasz J. Wąsik
author_facet Klaudia Szarek
Natalia Frankowska
Natalia Frankowska
Monika Kabała
Wiep Klaas Smits
Dorota Wultańska
Piotr Lalowski
Hanna Pituch
Adam Iwanicki
Krzysztof Hinc
Céline Harmanus
Ingrid M. J. G. Sanders
Robert Wojtyczka
Tomasz J. Wąsik
author_sort Klaudia Szarek
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionToxigenic strains of Clostridioides difficile are the leading cause of healthcare-associated bacterial infections in Poland. In the Silesian Voivodeship, with 4.5 million inhabitants, the incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) in 2023 reached 65.1/100,000, slightly down from 70.0/100,000 in 2022. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of toxigenic C. difficile ribotypes in hospitalized patients in Silesia.Materials and methodsA total of 130 stool samples from patients with confirmed antibiotic-associated diarrhea were tested. Multiplex PCR detected genes for GDH, toxins A/B, binary toxin CDT, and 16S rDNA. Ribotyping was performed by capillary PCR, and antibiotic susceptibility was tested with ETEST for 10 antibiotics.ResultsMultiplex PCR confirmed the presence of all toxins (A+B+CDT+) in 97 isolates. Six strains (6%) represented ribotype 955 (RT955), first reported in Poland in 2023. RT027 remained dominant (60%, n = 78). All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, while 4% (5/130) showed metronidazole resistance.ConclusionRT027 remains prevalent among CDI cases in Silesia. The emergence of RT955, closely related to a UK epidemic strain, suggests a possible shared origin and epidemiological link.
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spelling doaj-art-eef796bde60f4f199e984772605bdf812025-08-20T04:02:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-08-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16440511644051Dominance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging PCR ribotype 955 in hospitals in Silesia, PolandKlaudia Szarek0Natalia Frankowska1Natalia Frankowska2Monika Kabała3Wiep Klaas Smits4Dorota Wultańska5Piotr Lalowski6Hanna Pituch7Adam Iwanicki8Krzysztof Hinc9Céline Harmanus10Ingrid M. J. G. Sanders11Robert Wojtyczka12Tomasz J. Wąsik13Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Science in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandDivision of Molecular Bacteriology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, PolandIntercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Science in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandLeiden University Center for Infectious Diseases and Dutch National Expertise Center for Clostridioides difficile, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDivision of Molecular Bacteriology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, PolandDivision of Molecular Bacteriology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, PolandLeiden University Center for Infectious Diseases and Dutch National Expertise Center for Clostridioides difficile, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, NetherlandsLeiden University Center for Infectious Diseases and Dutch National Expertise Center for Clostridioides difficile, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Science in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandIntroductionToxigenic strains of Clostridioides difficile are the leading cause of healthcare-associated bacterial infections in Poland. In the Silesian Voivodeship, with 4.5 million inhabitants, the incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) in 2023 reached 65.1/100,000, slightly down from 70.0/100,000 in 2022. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of toxigenic C. difficile ribotypes in hospitalized patients in Silesia.Materials and methodsA total of 130 stool samples from patients with confirmed antibiotic-associated diarrhea were tested. Multiplex PCR detected genes for GDH, toxins A/B, binary toxin CDT, and 16S rDNA. Ribotyping was performed by capillary PCR, and antibiotic susceptibility was tested with ETEST for 10 antibiotics.ResultsMultiplex PCR confirmed the presence of all toxins (A+B+CDT+) in 97 isolates. Six strains (6%) represented ribotype 955 (RT955), first reported in Poland in 2023. RT027 remained dominant (60%, n = 78). All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, while 4% (5/130) showed metronidazole resistance.ConclusionRT027 remains prevalent among CDI cases in Silesia. The emergence of RT955, closely related to a UK epidemic strain, suggests a possible shared origin and epidemiological link.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1644051/fullClostridioides difficiletoxigenic strainsribotypesClostridioides difficile infectionhospital-acquired infectionhealth care-associated CDI
spellingShingle Klaudia Szarek
Natalia Frankowska
Natalia Frankowska
Monika Kabała
Wiep Klaas Smits
Dorota Wultańska
Piotr Lalowski
Hanna Pituch
Adam Iwanicki
Krzysztof Hinc
Céline Harmanus
Ingrid M. J. G. Sanders
Robert Wojtyczka
Tomasz J. Wąsik
Dominance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging PCR ribotype 955 in hospitals in Silesia, Poland
Frontiers in Microbiology
Clostridioides difficile
toxigenic strains
ribotypes
Clostridioides difficile infection
hospital-acquired infection
health care-associated CDI
title Dominance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging PCR ribotype 955 in hospitals in Silesia, Poland
title_full Dominance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging PCR ribotype 955 in hospitals in Silesia, Poland
title_fullStr Dominance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging PCR ribotype 955 in hospitals in Silesia, Poland
title_full_unstemmed Dominance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging PCR ribotype 955 in hospitals in Silesia, Poland
title_short Dominance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging PCR ribotype 955 in hospitals in Silesia, Poland
title_sort dominance of toxigenic clostridioides difficile strains and the appearance of the emerging pcr ribotype 955 in hospitals in silesia poland
topic Clostridioides difficile
toxigenic strains
ribotypes
Clostridioides difficile infection
hospital-acquired infection
health care-associated CDI
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1644051/full
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