1887

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Volume 71, Issue 6

Isolation of PCR Ribotype 027 from single-use hospital gown ties Open Access

Abstract

is a spore-forming pathogen responsible for antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. In the USA high incidence of infection (CDI) in clinical environments has led to interest in spore transmission.

Single use hospital surgical gown ties act as a reservoir for spores.

This study sought to examine whether single-use hospital surgical gown ties used in surgery, from an acute healthcare facility, harboured spores.

Used surgical gowns ties worn by clinicians in the healthcare facility were examined for spore presence via spread plate and anaerobic culture. The colonies isolated from each gown tie were subcultured on selective agar for phenotypic confirmation. Presumptive colonies were examined using Quik Check Complete, 16–23S PCR Ribotyping and MALDI-TOF analysis.

In total 17 suspected colonies were isolated from 15 gown ties via culture. Quik Check Complete found two isolates as possible . MALDI-TOF and PCR Ribotyping confirmed one isolate as PCR ribotype 027 associated with clinical outbreaks.

Our study revealed the presence of hypervirulent ribotype 027 spores on single-use gown ties. This highlights the potential of gown ties as a vector of spore transmission across clinical environments, especially when gowns are not worn appropriately.

Appropriate compliance to infection control procedures by healthcare workers is essential to prevent spore dissemination across clinical facilities and reduce CDI rates.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Published Online:
Keyword(s): Clostridioides difficile , flooring , gowns , infection control , spores and transmission
© 2022 The Authors
  • This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution.
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2022-06-08
2024-04-25
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Isolation of Clostridioides difficile PCR Ribotype 027 from single-use hospital gown ties
J. Med. Microbiol. 71, 001550 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001550
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.001550
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.001550
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