Epidemiology of Clostridium difficile colonization in newborns: results using a bacteriophage and bacteriocin typing system.

We used a typing system based on bacteriophage and bacteriocin susceptibility to study the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile colonization of newborn infants. C. difficile was found in the stools of 30 (16.0%) of 187 infants who were screened. Increased length of stay in the nursery (P less than .001) and delivery by cesarian section (P less than .001) were associated with higher rates of colonization. The isolates initially detected from the environment and the infants were strain B1811-1700. Strain B1537/Cld7 became the predominant isolate obtained from the infants; positive cultures were also obtained from the environment and the hands of personnel who worked in the nursery and had strain B1537/Cld7. Our results suggest that the infants acquired C. difficile through transfer from the hands of hospital staff.