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Establishment of methods for the detection and characterisation of Clostridium difficile in food

Project

Food and consumer protection

This project contributes to the research aim 'Food and consumer protection'. Which funding institutions are active for this aim? What are the sub-aims? Take a look:
Food and consumer protection


Project code: BfR-BIOS-08-1322-615
Contract period: 01.04.2015 - 31.12.2017
Purpose of research: Applied research

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) was described as an agent of diarrhea in various species (human, dog, cat, horse, cattle, pig). The agent represents one of the most common causative organisms of nosocomial infections whereof mainly elderly persons are affected. The disease is caused by toxins produced by C. difficile (enterotoxin A, cytotoxin B, binary toxin). Since 2002, an augmentation of cases with human CDI (Clostridium difficile infection) accompanied by increased morbidity and mortality has been noticed in North-America and in different European countries. These CDI were mainly associated with a raised prevalence of a highly virulent C. difficile strain (PCR-ribotype 027 (RT 027)). C. difficile has also been isolated from healthy food-producing animals. Several strains isolated from animals were also involved in human infections. Furthermore, several C. difficile strains have been identified on plant-based food and in food of animal origin. The highly virulent and multiresistant ribotypes RT 027 and RT 078 have been detected in pork (pork cheek, ground meat), beef and turkey meat. These findings implicate that food cannot be excluded as a source of human infection. Altogether, there exist only few studies concerning this topic. The investigations of these studies were conducted in restricted areas and showed very different data concerning the prevalence of C. difficile. Hence, the risk for humans to become infected via food cannot be estimated in Germany at the moment. The diagnostic methods used for detection of C.difficile in food which are described in literature show a high variability; this could also be one reason for the diverging detection rates reported in meat. Until now, there exists no validated method for cultivation, selection and isolation of C. difficile from meat. For collection of representative data a standardised detection method is required. Therefore, a method for the detection of C. difficile in food must be established and validated.

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Subjects

Framework programme

BMEL Frameworkprogramme 2008

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