Volume 15, Number 5—May 2009
Dispatch
Clostridium difficile in Retail Meat Products, USA, 2007
J. Glenn Songer
, Hien T. Trinh, George E. Killgore, Angela D. Thompson, L. Clifford McDonald, and Brandi M. Limbago
, Hien T. Trinh, George E. Killgore, Angela D. Thompson, L. Clifford McDonald, and Brandi M. LimbagoTable
Source and characteristics of Clostridium difficile isolates obtained from retail meats sold in Tuscon, Arizona, USA, 2007*
| Meat product | No. samples cultured | Total no. (%) positive | Ribotype | Toxinotype | ΔtcdC, bp† | PFGE type | No. (%) positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef (uncooked) | 26 | 13 (50) | 027 | III | 18 | NAP1 | 1 (3.8) |
| NAP1-related | 2 (7.7) | ||||||
| 078 | V | 39 | NAP7 | 8 (30.8) | |||
| NAP8 |
2 (7.7) |
||||||
| Summer sausage (ready to eat) |
7 |
1 (14.3) |
027 |
III |
18 |
NAP1 |
1 (14.3) |
| Ground pork (uncooked) | 7 | 3 (42.9) | 027 | III | 18 | NAP1-related | 1 (14.3) |
| 078 |
V |
39 |
NAP7 |
2 (28.6) |
|||
| Braunschweiger (ready to eat) | 16 | 10 (62.5) | 027 | III | 18 | NAP1 | 2 (12.5) |
| NAP1-related | 1 (6.2) | ||||||
| 078 |
V |
39 |
NAP7 |
7 (43.8) |
|||
| Chorizo (uncooked) | 10 | 3 (30.0) | 027 | III | 18 | NAP1-related | 1 (10.0) |
| 078 |
V |
39 |
NAP7 |
2 (20.0) |
|||
| Pork sausage (uncooked) | 13 | 3 (23.1) | 027 | III | 18 | NAP1-related | 1 (7.7) |
| 078 |
V |
39 |
NAP7 |
2 (15.4) |
|||
| Ground turkey (uncooked) |
9 |
4 (44.4) |
078 |
V |
39 |
NAP7 |
4 (44.4) |
| Totals | 88 | 37 (42.0) | 027 | III | 18 | NAP1 | 4 (4.4) |
| NAP1-related | 6 (6.7) | ||||||
| 078 | V | 39 | NAP7 | 25 (27.8) | |||
| NAP8 | 2 (2.2) |
*All samples were positive for cdtB, which encodes the binding component of binary toxin. PFGE, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.
†Deletions in tcdC regulatory gene.
