Clostridioides difficile in Australian dairy farms

Author Identifier (ORCID)

Su Chen Lim: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8983-6573

Deirdre A. Collins: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6754-9290

Thomas V. Riley: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1351-3740

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and diversity of C. difficile in Australian dairy farms. Methods: A total of 320 samples, including faeces, rectal swabs, effluent, soil and water, were collected from seven dairy farms across two Australian states. Results: C. difficile was present in all seven farms (100 %) and 44.4 % of the samples tested, with the highest prevalence found in soil (94.3 %), effluent (73.7 %) and faeces (60.4 %). Forty-four distinct ribotypes were identified among 174 isolates, of which 17 have been found previously in humans. C. difficile ribotype (RT) 127 (A + B + CDT+) was the predominant strain, comprising 42.5 % of isolates. The findings also indicated that the environment of Australian dairy farms is persistently contaminated with C. difficile, especially RT 127 and may represent a potential source for zoonotic transmission. Conclusions: C. difficile may be widespread in Australian dairy farms, with notably high prevalence in both animals and environmental samples.

Keywords

Clostridioides difficile, dairy cows, farm environment, RT127

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

8-1-2025

Volume

94

Publisher

Elsevier

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

83516

Funders

National Health and Medical Research Council

Grant Number

NHMRC Number : 2013129

Comments

Lim, S., Chisholm, J., Collins, D. A., Lattin, M., Bell, C., Selvey, L., Reid, S., & Riley, T. V. (2025). Clostridioides difficile in Australian dairy farms. Anaerobe, 94, 102983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2025.102983

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