Role of binary toxin in the outcome ofClostridium difficileinfection in a non-027 ribotype setting

Abstract

SUMMARYBinary toxin (BT) has been associated with strains causing more severeClostridium difficileinfection (CDI), such as ribotype 027. Data on the outcome of patients having BT present in ribotypes other than 027 are scarce. Our objective was to investigate the association between BT isolates and outcome of CDI in a non-027 ribotype setting. We prospectively included CDI episodes (January–June 2013 and March–June 2014) from symptomatic patients aged >2 years. Epidemiological and clinical data were recorded. BT genes were detected using multiplex PCR. During the study period, we identified 326 episodes of CDI, of which 319 were available for molecular analysis. Of these, 54 (16·9%) were caused byC. difficilestrains with BT. Most (90·7%) isolates with BT were ribotype 078/126. CDI patients with BT-positive strains did not differ from those with BT-negative strains in terms of recurrence (13·0%vs. 15·5%,P= 0·835), treatment failure (0·0%vs. 2·3%,P= 0·594), overall mortality (11·1%vs. 9·1%,P= 0·612), or CDI-related mortality (0·0%vs. 1·9%,P= 0·612). Multivariate regression revealed no association between BT and poor outcome. In conclusion, in a non-027 setting, we found that most BT isolates were 078/126 and were not associated with poor outcome.