Aerial dissemination of Clostridium difficile on a pig farm and its environment

E.C. Keessen; C.J. Donswijk; S.P. Hol; C. Hermanus; E.J. Kuijper; L.J.A. Lipman

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2011.09.014

Aerial dissemination of Clostridium difficile on a pig farm and its environment

E.C. Keessen, C.J. Donswijk, S.P. Hol, C. Hermanus, E.J. Kuijper, L.J.A. Lipman

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Abstract

Clostridium difficile is increasingly recognized as an important enteropathogen in both humans and animals. The finding of C. difficile in air samples in hospitals suggests a role for aerial dissemination in the transmission of human C. difficile infection. The present study was designed to investigate the occurrence of airborne C. difficile in, and nearby a pig farm with a high prevalence of C. difficile. Airborne colony counts in the farrowing pens peaked on the moments shortly after or during personnel activity in the pens (P=0.043 (farrowing pens 1, 2), P=0.034 (farrowing pen 2)). A decrease in airborne C. difficile colony counts was observed parallel to aging of the piglets. Airborne C. difficile was detected up to 20m distant from the farm. This study showed widespread aerial dissemination of C. difficile on a pig farm that was positively associated with personnel activity.

Original language	Undefined/Unknown
Pages (from-to)	1027-1032
Number of pages	6
Journal	Environmental Research
Volume	111
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2011.09.014
Publication status	Published - 2011

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10.1016/j.envres.2011.09.014

Cite this

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title = "Aerial dissemination of Clostridium difficile on a pig farm and its environment",

abstract = "Clostridium difficile is increasingly recognized as an important enteropathogen in both humans and animals. The finding of C. difficile in air samples in hospitals suggests a role for aerial dissemination in the transmission of human C. difficile infection. The present study was designed to investigate the occurrence of airborne C. difficile in, and nearby a pig farm with a high prevalence of C. difficile. Airborne colony counts in the farrowing pens peaked on the moments shortly after or during personnel activity in the pens (P=0.043 (farrowing pens 1, 2), P=0.034 (farrowing pen 2)). A decrease in airborne C. difficile colony counts was observed parallel to aging of the piglets. Airborne C. difficile was detected up to 20m distant from the farm. This study showed widespread aerial dissemination of C. difficile on a pig farm that was positively associated with personnel activity.",

author = "E.C. Keessen and C.J. Donswijk and S.P. Hol and C. Hermanus and E.J. Kuijper and L.J.A. Lipman",

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T1 - Aerial dissemination of Clostridium difficile on a pig farm and its environment

AU - Keessen, E.C.

AU - Donswijk, C.J.

AU - Hol, S.P.

AU - Hermanus, C.

AU - Kuijper, E.J.

AU - Lipman, L.J.A.

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

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AB - Clostridium difficile is increasingly recognized as an important enteropathogen in both humans and animals. The finding of C. difficile in air samples in hospitals suggests a role for aerial dissemination in the transmission of human C. difficile infection. The present study was designed to investigate the occurrence of airborne C. difficile in, and nearby a pig farm with a high prevalence of C. difficile. Airborne colony counts in the farrowing pens peaked on the moments shortly after or during personnel activity in the pens (P=0.043 (farrowing pens 1, 2), P=0.034 (farrowing pen 2)). A decrease in airborne C. difficile colony counts was observed parallel to aging of the piglets. Airborne C. difficile was detected up to 20m distant from the farm. This study showed widespread aerial dissemination of C. difficile on a pig farm that was positively associated with personnel activity.

U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2011.09.014

DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2011.09.014

M3 - Article

SN - 0013-9351

VL - 111

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JO - Environmental Research

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