Clostridium difficile Isolated from the Fecal Contents of Swine in Japan

Abstract

A total of 250 fecal content samples were collected from 25 farrow-to-finish pig farms and examined for the prevalence of Clostridium difficile by using ethanol treatment followed by plating onto selective media-cycloserine-cefoxitin-mannitol agar-for the isolation of Clostridium difficile. Two specimens (0.8%, 95% confidential interval: 0–2.9%) were positive for C. difficile. One isolate was only positive for toxin B, and the other isolate was negative for both toxins A and B. Thus, prevalence of Clostridium difficile was found to be low among finishing pigs in Japan.