Skip Navigation


JAC Advance Access originally published online on May 29, 2003
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
52/1/96    most recent
dkg267v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (10)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Freeman, J.
Right arrow Articles by Wilcox, M. H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Freeman, J.
Right arrow Articles by Wilcox, M. H.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?


Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2003) 52, 96-102
© 2003 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Effects of cefotaxime and desacetylcefotaxime upon Clostridium difficile proliferation and toxin production in a triple-stage chemostat model of the human gut

Jane Freeman, Fiona J. O’Neill and Mark H. Wilcox*

Department of Microbiology, University of Leeds and The General Infirmary, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK

Received 5 November 2002; returned 20 January 2003; revised 21 March 2003; accepted 2 April 2003

Clostridium difficile is recognized as an important nosocomial pathogen. C. difficile infection (CDI) is thought to arise as a result of depletion of the normal gut flora by antimicrobial agents. Cefotaxime (CTX) is well-known for its propensity to cause CDI, but the reasons behind its particular predisposition to the disease remain unclear. Previous investigations have so far relied upon the hamster model of CDI or human volunteers. We have used a triple-stage chemostat model of the human gut to investigate the behaviour of C. difficile and components of the normal gut flora, in response to exposure to CTX alone, and in combination with its active metabolite desacetylcefotaxime (dCTX). C. difficile remained in a steady state during non-antibiotic exposed periods, with no detectable cytotoxin. During both antibiotic exposure regimens, proliferation of C. difficile and elevated cytotoxin levels were observed. Cessation of antibiotic instillation produced a reduction in cytotoxin levels and viable counts. Decreases in bacterial counts were observed in response to both antibiotic exposure regimens, notably for bifidobacteria and bacteroides. Numbers of bacteroides were profoundly affected by exposure to the CTX/dCTX combination, and this may indicate a possible role for bacteroides in colonization resistance. We believe that the gut model is a promising method for studying C. difficile pathogenesis in conditions analogous to the in vivo situation.

Keywords: Clostridium difficile, cefotaxime, desacetylcefotaxime, gut model, gut microflora

* Corresponding author. Tel: +44-113-392-6818; Fax: +44-113-343-5649; E-mail: markwi{at}pathology.leeds.ac.uk


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Med MicrobiolHome page
C. Deneve, C. Delomenie, M.-C. Barc, A. Collignon, and C. Janoir
Antibiotics involved in Clostridium difficile-associated disease increase colonization factor gene expression
J. Med. Microbiol., June 1, 2008; 57(6): 732 - 738.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
J. Freeman, S. D. Baines, K. Saxton, and M. H. Wilcox
Effect of metronidazole on growth and toxin production by epidemic Clostridium difficile PCR ribotypes 001 and 027 in a human gut model
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., July 1, 2007; 60(1): 83 - 91.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
S. D. Baines, K. Saxton, J. Freeman, and M. H. Wilcox
Tigecycline does not induce proliferation or cytotoxin production by epidemic Clostridium difficile strains in a human gut model
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., November 1, 2006; 58(5): 1062 - 1065.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Microbiol.Home page
N. J. Asha, D. Tompkins, and M. H. Wilcox
Comparative Analysis of Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Molecular Epidemiology of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea Due to Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, and Staphylococcus aureus.
J. Clin. Microbiol., August 1, 2006; 44(8): 2785 - 2791.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Microbiol.Home page
T. Akerlund, B. Svenungsson, A. Lagergren, and L. G. Burman
Correlation of Disease Severity with Fecal Toxin Levels in Patients with Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea and Distribution of PCR Ribotypes and Toxin Yields In Vitro of Corresponding Isolates
J. Clin. Microbiol., February 1, 2006; 44(2): 353 - 358.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
J. Freeman, S. D. Baines, D. Jabes, and M. H. Wilcox
Comparison of the efficacy of ramoplanin and vancomycin in both in vitro and in vivo models of clindamycin-induced Clostridium difficile infection
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., October 1, 2005; 56(4): 717 - 725.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.Home page
N. J. Pultz and C. J. Donskey
Effect of Antibiotic Treatment on Growth of and Toxin Production by Clostridium difficile in the Cecal Contents of Mice
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., August 1, 2005; 49(8): 3529 - 3532.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
S. D. Baines, J. Freeman, and M. H. Wilcox
Effects of piperacillin/tazobactam on Clostridium difficile growth and toxin production in a human gut model
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., June 1, 2005; 55(6): 974 - 982.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
M. H. Wilcox, J. Freeman, W. Fawley, S. MacKinlay, A. Brown, K. Donaldson, and O. Corrado
Long-term surveillance of cefotaxime and piperacillin-tazobactam prescribing and incidence of Clostridium difficile diarrhoea
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., July 1, 2004; 54(1): 168 - 172.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.