Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Dan Nicolae Paduraru, Daniel Ion, Mihai Cristian Dumitrascu, Razvan Petca, Aida Petca, Florica Sandru, Octavian Andronic, Georgiana Radu, Alexandra Bolocan
Summary: Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive bacterium that can cause various gastrointestinal diseases, with the most severe being pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon. Its high-end spores may be responsible for recurrent disease and transmission in the community. Treatment options range from oral antibiotics to extensive surgical interventions, with risk factors including overuse of antimicrobials and comorbidities.
EXPERIMENTAL AND THERAPEUTIC MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Transito Garcia-Garcia, Sandrine Poncet, Elodie Cuenot, Thibaut Douche, Quentin Giai Gianetto, Johann Peltier, Pascal Courtin, Marie-Pierre Chapot-Chartier, Mariette Matondo, Bruno Dupuy, Thomas Candela, Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
Summary: The STK signaling pathway regulates PGH homeostasis to precisely control PG hydrolysis during cell division. The study on PG hydrolase CwlA in C. difficile reveals its important role in cell division and its regulation by PrkC, highlighting a novel regulatory mechanism by which STK controls protein export.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jianfeng Wang, Chu Yang, Chao Zhang, Xiaoyan Mao, An Lizhe
Summary: In this study, the genome of Clostridium difficile was studied using metagenomic technology, revealing its gene sequence information and potential toxicological genes. Through gene function analysis and pathogenicity analysis, the metabolism activity, catalytic activity, carbohydrate-active enzyme genes and other aspects of the bacterium were understood, and an assessment was made on its virulence genes.
Article
Immunology
Dustin E. Bosch, Patrick C. Mathias, Niklas Krumm, Andrew Bryan, Ferric C. Fang, Alex L. Greninger
Summary: Elevated white blood cell count can predict Clostridium difficile infection results, but with low accuracy in inpatient settings. Elevated white blood cell count in CDI patients is associated with longer hospital stays and increased risk of mortality.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Shaohui Wang, Joshua Heuler, Ishani Wickramage, Xingmin Sun
Summary: Symptoms of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) are mainly caused by two toxins, TcdA and TcdB. The engineered strain CCUG37785 shows potential as an oral mucosal vaccine carrier against CDI, providing protection and treatment against the infection.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xi-Wang Liu, Ya-Jun Yang, Zhe Qin, Shi-Hong Li, Li-Xia Bai, Wen-Bo Ge, Jian-Yong Li
Summary: This study investigated the antibacterial activity of the active component IBCL from traditional Chinese herb medicine Cullen corylifolium against Clostridium difficile. Results showed that IBCL effectively killed the bacteria by disrupting the cell membrane integrity, reducing weight loss associated with CDI infections.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Srijita Basak, Debashrito Deb, Utkarsh Narsaria, Tamalika Kar, Filippo Castiglione, Indraneel Sanyal, Pratap D. Bade, Anurag P. Srivastava
Summary: Clostridium difficile infection is a major health-associated infection with high incidence and mortality rates. A chimeric vaccine candidate was designed using immunoinformatics, which showed stability and reliability in silico and molecular dynamics simulations. Docking studies demonstrated stable interactions with immune receptors, and in silico modeling indicated competent expression in E. coli system for potential immune response.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Laura Tijerina-Rodriguez, Elvira Garza-Gonzalez, Adrian Martinez-Melendez, Rayo Morfin-Otero, Adrian Camacho-Ortiz, Esteban Gonzalez-Diaz, Hector Raul Perez-Gomez, Licet Villarreal-Trevino, Hector Maldonado-Garza, Sergio Esparza-Ahumada, Eduardo Rodriguez-Noriega
Summary: This study evaluated risk factors associated with severe-complicated and recurrent outcomes in different age groups of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) patients. Female gender and lymphoma were identified as risk factors for severe-complicated CDI, while mature adulthood, previous rifampicin use, and neoplasm were risk factors for recurrent infection. Autoimmune disorders, leukemia, lymphoma, and previous colistin treatment were found to be risk factors for 30-day mortality.
BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Peng An Khun, Long Duc Phi, Huong Thi Thu Bui, Nguyen Thi Bui, Quyen Thi Huyen Vu, Luong Duy Trinh, Deirdre A. Collins, Thomas Riley
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence, molecular type, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridioides difficile in the environment in Vietnam. It found that the overall contamination rate of C. difficile was 24.5%, with the highest prevalence in pig farm and hospital soils. C. difficile was also found in pig feces and potato surfaces. These findings highlight the importance of environmental sources in the epidemiology of C. difficile infection in Vietnam.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Joshua B. Jones, Lei Liu, Leslie A. Rank, Daniela Wetzel, Emily C. Woods, Naomi Biok, Sarah E. Anderson, Myung-ryul Lee, Runhui Liu, Sean Huth, Brindar K. Sandhu, Samuel H. Gellman, Shonna M. McBride
Summary: A series of nylon-3 polymers containing only cationic subunits showed efficacy against the gastrointestinal pathogen Clostridioides difficile, suggesting potential for expanding the range of antibacterial polymers.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Ute Muh, Craig D. Ellermeier, David S. Weiss
Summary: The WalRK two-component regulatory system is essential for coordinating synthesis and turnover of peptidoglycan in Firmicutes. In this study, researchers investigated the Wal system in Clostridioides difficile and confirmed its essentiality. They also identified over 150 genes whose expression is controlled by WalR, providing a foundation for future investigations of this regulatory system and potential antibiotic target in C. difficile.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Piccioni, Federico Rosa, Federica Manca, Giulia Pignataro, Christian Zanza, Gabriele Savioli, Marcello Covino, Veronica Ojetti, Antonio Gasbarrini, Francesco Franceschi, Marcello Candelli
Summary: The composition of the human microbiome plays a crucial role in health, and alterations in the microbiota can lead to Clostridium difficile infection.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anna Esser, Guenter Mayer
Summary: The glmS ribozymes of C. difficile and L. monocytogenes were validated and characterized, showing unique properties such as discrimination between co-factors and activity at low temperatures, while relying on glucosamine-6-phosphate and divalent cations for cleavage reactions.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2022)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Helen S. Lee, Kamryn Plechot, Shruti Gohil, Jennifer Le
Summary: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a significant healthcare-associated infection with varying diagnostic methods. Overdiagnosis from highly sensitive tests may lead to unnecessary treatment and adverse outcomes. It is important to optimize the sensitivity and specificity of laboratory tests to differentiate clinical CDI from colonization.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Malin Inghammar, Henrik Svanstrom, Marianne Voldstedlund, Mads Melbye, Anders Hviid, Kare Molbak, Bjorn Pasternak
Summary: In a nationwide study among adults in Denmark, it was found that the use of PPIs is associated with a moderately increased risk of community-associated Clostridium difficile infection. The elevated risk remained up to 1 year after the end of PPI treatment.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Tony M. McHale, Carolina D. Garciarena, Robert P. Fagan, Stephen G. J. Smith, Ignacio Martin-Loches, Gerard F. Curley, Fidelma Fitzpatrick, Steve W. Kerrigan
CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2018)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Robert Fagan, Shonna M. McBride, Aimee Shen
Article
Microbiology
Thamarai K. Janganan, Nic Mullin, Ainhoa Dafis-Sagarmendi, Jason Brunt, Svetomir B. Tzokov, Sandra Stringer, Anne Moir, Roy R. Chaudhuri, Robert P. Fagan, Jamie K. Hobbs, Per A. Bullough
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peter Oatley, Joseph A. Kirk, Shuwen Ma, Simon Jones, Robert P. Fagan
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Yasir Adil Jabbar Alabdali, Peter Oatley, Joseph A. Kirk, Robert P. Fagan
Summary: This study identified and characterized a cortex-specific penicillin-binding protein in C. difficile, laying the groundwork for further understanding cortex biogenesis in this important pathogen.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Manuela Fuchs, Vanessa Lamm-Schmidt, Johannes Sulzer, Falk Ponath, Laura Jenniches, Joseph A. Kirk, Robert P. Fagan, Lars Barquist, Joerg Vogel, Franziska Faber
Summary: The study reveals the transcriptome architecture and posttranscriptional control mechanisms of C. difficile, confirming the functionality of many conserved riboswitches. Through the study of Hfq, it is found that Hfq is involved in gene regulation by affecting transcript stabilities and steady-state levels in C. difficile. The research demonstrates the expression of sRNA during intestinal colonization by C. difficile and identifies infection-related signals impacting sRNA expression.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paola Lanzoni-Mangutchi, Oishik Banerji, Jason Wilson, Anna Barwinska-Sendra, Joseph A. Kirk, Filipa Vaz, Shauna O'Beirne, Arnaud Basle, Kamel El Omari, Armin Wagner, Neil F. Fairweather, Gillian R. Douce, Per A. Bullough, Robert P. Fagan, Paula S. Salgado
Summary: S-layers are two-dimensional protein arrays that cover the surface of bacteria and archaea, playing important roles in cell physiology. In this study, the crystal structure of the main S-layer protein SIpA from the bacterial pathogen Clostridioides difficile was determined, and the organization and assembly mechanism of the S-layer was studied using electron microscopy. The compact and tightly-packed array of triangular prisms in the crystal lattice mimics the assembly of the S-layer in the cell, and the flexible ridges on the surface of the array were found to be dispensable for overall structure and assembly.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Wichuda Phothichaisri, Surang Chankhamhaengdecha, Tavan Janvilisri, Jirayu Nuadthaisong, Tanaporn Phetruen, Robert P. Fagan, Sittinan Chanarat
Summary: This study investigates the function of the cell-wall binding domain (CBD) of an endolysin from a C. difficile phage. The CBD is found to play a role in anchoring the enzyme to post-lytic cell-wall remnants, limiting enzyme diffusion and preserving neighboring host cells, which facilitates phage replication. This insight into the regulation of endolysin through CBD may have potential applications in treating C. difficile infection.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Jessica E. Buddle, Robert P. Fagan
Summary: Clostridioides difficile is a common cause of hospital-associated diarrhea, with high recurrence, morbidity, and mortality rates. Antibiotics are both the main treatment and a major risk factor for infection. The increasing multidrug resistance of C. difficile poses an urgent threat to global health. This review focuses on the virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance, and genome plasticity that enable the pathogenesis and persistence of this important pathogen.
Article
Microbiology
Alexia L. M. Royer, Andrew A. Umansky, Marie-Maude Allen, Julian R. Garneau, Maicol Ospina-Bedoya, Joseph A. Kirk, Gregory Govoni, Robert P. Fagan, Olga Soutourina, Louis-Charles Fortier
Summary: Therapeutic bacteriophages are being considered as alternatives to treat Clostridioides difficile infections. The surface layer protein A (SlpA) is identified as a common receptor used by many phages, which is a significant discovery for the rational design of therapeutic phage cocktails.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Michael Ormsby, Filipa R. Vaz, Joseph A. Kirk, Anna R. Barwinska-Sendra, Jennifer A. Hallam, Paola R. Lanzoni-Mangutchi, John A. Cole, Roy R. Chaudhuri, Paula A. Salgado, Robert R. Fagan, Gillian R. A. Douce
Summary: The S-layer of C. difficile plays an important role in pathogenesis and disease severity. S-layer variants, recovered after infection with the S-layer-null strain FM2.5, were rapidly selected in vivo independent of toxin production. One variant, FM2.5(varB), displayed a less virulent phenotype compared to FM2.5(varA) and caused disease severity similar to R20291.