Restriction endonuclease (REA) typing of Clostridium difficile isolates from South America

Little is known about the genetic relationship of pathogenic strains of Clo stridium difficile from various parts of the world. We used HindIII restric tion digestion of whole DNA to type isolates of C. difficile form hospitals in Argentina and Chile. The restriction pattern type of these South Americ an isolates was classified according to the existing REA library of over 40 0 distinct REA types in over 90 groups, based on typing of more than 6000 c linical isolates. A total of 22 isolates of C. difficile was obtained and t yped. The majority of isolates were matched to groups previously seen in No rth American and Europe. Three toxigenic groups, R, F, and Y, predominated in the isolates. Five isolates were found to be non-toxigenic and three bel onged to group M, the most common non-toxigenic group found in North Americ a. Several identical types were recovered from different hospitals, and typ es of the same group were found in both Buenos Aires and Santiago. (C) 1999 Academic Press.