This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Al-Jumaili, I J Articles by Record, C O Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Al-Jumaili, I J Articles by Record, C O

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Clin Microbiol. 1984 January; 19(1): 77-78

Incidence and origin of Clostridium difficile in neonates.

ABSTRACT

The stools of 65 of 92 (71%) infants in a special care nursery yielded Clostridium difficile on culture. Ninety percent of stools collected after 6 to 35 days in the unit were positive, and 36% of these also contained toxin. When tested in vitro, 94% of the isolates produced toxin. Of 110 swabs collected from the environment of the unit, 9% were positive for C. difficile, but the stools of 12 nurses working on the unit were negative. Thirty-five vaginal swabs collected from mothers just before delivery were negative for C. difficile on culture, but 16 of their infants had C. difficile in their stools. It was concluded that there is a high carriage rate in the stools of neonates of C. difficile acquired progressively during the course of their stay in the special care unit. Infection is mainly from environmental sources rather than maternal transmission.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Penders, J., Thijs, C., Vink, C., Stelma, F. F., Snijders, B., Kummeling, I., van den Brandt, P. A., Stobberingh, E. E. (2006). Factors Influencing the Composition of the Intestinal Microbiota in Early Infancy. Pediatrics 118: 511-521 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Spivack, J. G., Eppes, S. C., Klein, J. D. (2003). Clostridium Diffi cile-Associated Diarrhea in a Pediatric Hospital. CLIN PEDIATR 42: 347-352 [Abstract]