Molecular Epidemiology of Clostridium difficile Strains in Children Compared with That of Strains Circulating in Adults with Clostridium difficile-Associated Infection

Molecular analysis of Clostridium difficile (28 isolates) from children (n = 128) in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, identified eight toxigenic genotypes. Six of these were isolated from 27% of concurrent adult C. difficile-associated infections studied (n = 83). No children carried hypervirulent PCR ribotype 027. Children could participate in the transmission of some adult disease-causing genotypes.