In the early 2000s, an aggressive new strain of C diff began appearing and was found to produce far more toxins than the other C diff strains. This new strain is considered more resistant to certain medications and has appeared in both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients, especially in patients exposed to fluoroquinolone and cephalosporin therapy
In 2009, the new strain was designated B1/NAP1/027. It has been found to produce a more severe CDI, is difficult to treat, and is frequently associated with infection relapses. (B1/NAP1/027 is an abbreviation for “restriction endonuclease analysis group B1, pulse-field gel electrophoresis type NAP1, and polymerase chain reaction ribotype 027). This hypervirulent strain (now commonly referred to as “strain 027”) is a fluoroquinolone-resistant strain of C diff that generally produces more toxins and grows more intensely in the intestine than the other strains of C diff. With the increase of the 027 strain, CDI began to spread dramatically worldwide.
For more information on the 027 strain of Clostridiodes difficile, click on the following links:
