Pathogenicity locus determinants and toxinotyping of Clostridioides difficile isolates recovered from Iranian patients

Little is known about the toxin profiles, toxinotypes and variations of toxin Clostridioides difficile C (tcdC) in Iranian C. difficile isolates. A total of 818 stool specimens were obtained from outpatients (n = 45) and hospitalized patients (n = 773) in Tehran, Iran, from 2011 to 2017. The 44 C. difficile isolates were subjected to PCR of toxin C. difficile A (tcdA), toxin C. difficile B (tcdB), tcdA 3′-end deletion, toxinotyping and sequencing of the tcdC gene. Thirty-eight isolates (86.36%) were identified as tcdA and tcdB positive, and the remaining six isolates (13.63%) were nontoxigenic. All tcdA- and tcdB-positive isolates yielded an amplicon of 2535 bp by PCR for the tcdA 3′ end. Fourteen (36.84%), seventeen (44.73%) and seven (18.43%) isolates belonged to wild-type, toxin C. difficile C subclone3 (tcdC-sc3) and tcdC-A genotype of tcdC, respectively. Thirty-one isolates (81.57%) belonged to toxinotype 0, and seven isolates (18.42%) were classified as toxinotype V. This study provides evidence for the circulation of historical and hypervirulent isolates in the healthcare and community settings. Furthermore, it was also demonstrated that the tcdC-A genotype and toxinotype V are not uncommon among Iranian C. difficile isolates.