[Relation between isolation of bacteriophages from Clostridium difficile and cytotoxicity of the strains].

We studied the possible relationship between the presence of bacteriophages and cytotoxicity of Clostridium difficile strains from multiple origin. A total of 143 strains were studied, 38.46% showed lysogenic activity to at least one of control strains and 85.3% produces cytopathic effects on McCoy cells, that were neutralized by C. sordellii antitoxin. All bacteriophages seen on electron microscopy showed similar shape and size (hexagonal head shape and flexible tail ended in a basal plate). According to our results, a significant relationship between those two factors seems not to exist.