Summary
Clostridioides difficile, a spore-forming bacillus, is a major cause of healthcare-associated infection, and
can survive for prolonged periods in the inanimate environment. Environmental sampling
to detect C. difficile is not routine but may be undertaken as part of outbreak management and during research
projects. We conducted a literature search covering the period between 1980 and 2018
to review methods for the detection of this pathogen in the environment. There are
many acceptable sampling methods used for environmental screening, including contact
plates, cotton swabs, flocked swabs and sponges. Most recent studies suggest that
sponges are the most effective method of sampling and have the added benefit of being
capable of sampling larger and curved areas. Culture methods are the most common laboratory
method of detecting C. difficile from environmental samples. However, the results are variable depending on the type
of agar used and the turnaround times can be long. Molecular methods such as real-time
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), although more commonly used to detect C. difficile from faecal specimens, has been used with varying degrees of success in environmental
sampling. Further studies are needed to determine whether molecular techniques could
offer a more reliable, faster method of environmental sampling, giving infection prevention
and control teams more reassurance that patients are being placed in adequately decontaminated
hospital environments.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 24, 2019
Accepted:
August 20,
2019
Received:
June 14,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
