Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of antimicrobial and hospital-associated diarrhoea in humans. Several risk factors have been identified for development of community-associated C. difficile infection in humans. Information about prevalence, strain types and risk factors for C. difficile carriage in dogs is scarce.

This prospective study aimed at quantifying the prevalence and strain types of C. difficile in dogs with and without diarrhoea presented to a small animal teaching hospital; and identifying risk factors for C. difficile carriage through retrospective analysis of the clinical histories.

Stool samples were collected from 199 dogs within 48 h of admission to the hospital. These included 52 dogs presented for investigation of diarrhoea and 147 dogs presented for reasons other than diarrhoea. At the time of sampling 24 of the dogs presenting for reasons unrelated to diarrhoea were found to have acute diarrhoea and were moved to the diarrhoeal cohort. The prevalence of C. difficile carriage in dogs in the diarrhoeal cohort was 25% (95% C.I. 16.6–35.8%, 19/76 samples culture positive) and in the non-diarrhoeal cohort was 13.8% (95% C.I. 8.8–21%; 17/123 samples culture positive). Dogs presented with chronic diarrhoea had a prevalence of C. difficile carriage of 34.8% (95% C.I. 18.8–55.3%, 8/23 samples culture positive) while dogs with acute diarrhoea had a prevalence of 17.2% (95% C.I. 7.7–34.7%, 5/29 samples culture positive). A number of ribotypes were detected and the predominate types identified. PCR testing of all ribotypes was carried out to detect alpha and beta toxins which are associated with clinical disease.

Epidemiological risk factors which were assessed included those associated with the dog's household environment including the number of pets and presence of elderly people or infants, individual animal information including age, gender, neutering status and clinical information on medical treatment including antibiotic administration and visits to a veterinary practice in the previous three months. This type of study has the power to provide evidence-based data to support clinical decision making in evaluating the significance of detecting C. difficile in a faecal sample in dogs with acute and chronic diarrhoea. It can also inform whether dogs carry similar or different ribotypes of C. difficile to humans, and their potential significance as a reservoir for human infection.

Disclosures

No disclosures to report.