Isolation of Clostridium difficile from food animals in Slovenia

A total of 313 faecal samples from three pig farms and two cattle farms was collected, and Clostridium difficile was isolated from 133/257 piglet samples (51.8%) and from 1/56 calf samples (1.8%). Toxins were tested only in calf samples and were positive in 44.6% (25/56). The only bovine isolate belonged to toxinotype Xla (A-B-CDT+). Porcine isolates belonged to toxinotype 0 (A(+)B(+)CDT(-)) and toxinotype V (A(+) B+CDT+). Of the two ribotypes usually found in toxinotype V, the strains isolated in this study showed a greater similarity to ribotype 066 than to ribotype 078.