Hospital and Healthcare Pathogens
Genomic Analysis of Clostridium difficile isolates from a Large Melbourne Hospital
Project Summary
Clostridium difficile is an important nosocomial pathogen and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is a very heterogeneous species that is associated with a spectrum of intestinal diseases ranging from mild self-limiting diarrhea to potentially life threatening manifestations including pseudomembraneous colitis and toxic megacolon. Particular strain types are known to predominate within different regions and hospitals, and these can be associated with different clinical outcomes of disease. An in depth understanding of circulating strain types is important for infection control and in monitoring the transmission and spread of this pathogen within and between hospitals.
50 recent C. difficile clinical isolates have been collected and will be analysed using whole genomic sequencing.
The aims of this project are:
- To determine whether there is a predominant C. difficile strain type associated with infections in this hospital
- To determine whether patient to patient transmission of C. difficile is occurring within the hospital.
Project Partners
Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia