METHOD FOR THE DETECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A TOXINOGENIC CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE STRAIN

摘要

The invention relates to a method for the detection and characterization of a toxinogenic Clostridium difficile strain in a sample, wherein the following steps are performed, (i) a sample is provided for, (ii) in a multiplex PCR assay, (iii) the sample is analyzed with respect to the presence or absence of the cytotoxin tcdB gene, (iv) the sample is analyzed with respect to the presence or absence of one or more of the following deletions in the tcdC gene: (a) an 18 bp deletion in SEQ ID NO. 1 from nucleotide 330 to nucleotide 347, (b) a 36 bp deletion in SEQ ID NO. 1 from nucleotide (301) to nucleotide (336), (c) a 39 bp deletion in SEQ ID NO. 1 from nucleotide (341) to nucleotide (370), (d) a 54 bp deletion in SEQ ID NO. 1 from nucleotide (313) to nucleotide (366) and (e) a single nucleotide deletion at position 117 of SEQ ID NO. 1. The invention also relates to respective kits and primers and probes.