An Update on <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> Binary Toxin

Infection with <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> (CDI), a common healthcare-associated infection, includes symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to severe cases of pseudomembranous colitis. Toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) cause cytotoxicity and cellular detachment from intestinal epitheliu...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Adrián Martínez-Meléndez, Flora Cruz-López, Rayo Morfin-Otero, Héctor J. Maldonado-Garza, Elvira Garza-González
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-04-01
Series:Toxins
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/14/5/305
Description
Summary:Infection with <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> (CDI), a common healthcare-associated infection, includes symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to severe cases of pseudomembranous colitis. Toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) cause cytotoxicity and cellular detachment from intestinal epithelium and are responsible for CDI symptomatology. Approximately 20% of <i>C. difficile</i> strains produce a binary toxin (CDT) encoded by the <i>tcdA</i> and <i>tcdB</i> genes, which is thought to enhance TcdA and TcdB toxicity; however, the role of CDT in CDI remains controversial. Here, we focused on describing the main features of CDT and its impact on the host, clinical relevance, epidemiology, and potential therapeutic approaches.
ISSN:2072-6651