Clostridioides difficile from Brazilian hospitals: characterization of virulence genes by whole genome sequencing.

Clostridioides difficile (CD) is the most frequent cause of healthcare related diarrhea and its severity has increased in the last decade by the spread of hypervirulent strains. Most important CD virulence factor is toxin production; however, not only toxins are responsible for Clostridioides virulence. We sequenced 38 strains and analyzed the presence and integrity of 24 virulence (including toxin) genes. We identified 28 toxigenic strains, six also presented the cdt genes. Only six strains didn't present all others genes searched. All absent genes were adhesion related. Understand others CD virulence factors can lead to a best understanding on this matter.