High prevalence of the epidemic Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 078 in Iberian free-range pigs

Abstract

Previous studies in intensively raised piglets have detected a high prevalence of the epidemic Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 078. In this article we present a longitudinal survey of C. difficile colonisation in a population of Iberian pigs reared under a free-range system. A total of 160 faecal samples from 20 piglets belonging to different litters were obtained by weekly sampling. C difficile was recovered from samples collected at different times throughout the survey from a 90% of piglets, resulting in an overall prevalence of 25.6% in the studied samples. Most positive samples (75.6%) came from