Mojtaba Alimolaei - Department of Research and Technology, Kerman branch, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Kerman, Iran
Hamid-Reza Rahimi - Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences
Majid Ezatkhah - Kerman branch, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Kerman, Iran
Sadegh Afzali - Kerman branch, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Kerman, Iran

Background and Aim:Clostridium difficile remains the major identified cause of nosocomial diarrhea that known as C. difficile infection (CDI). This study investigated the prevalence of C. difficile isolated from CDI suspected patients (suffering from diarrhoea) in Kerman city of Iran.Methods:A total of 151 stool specimens were collected from patients suffering from diarrhoea in Kerman city of Iran and screened for the presence of C. difficile. Fresh faecal specimens were processed and cultured on C. difficile selective agar plates, supplemented by D-cycloserine and cefoxitin. Plates were incubated in anaerobic chambers and monitored daily up to 5 days. C. difficile isolates were presumptively identified on the basis of their characteristic morphology on selective agar plates, specific horse-stable odor, Gram stain, and green- chartreuse fluorescence under a ultraviolet light.Results:Out of investigated patients, 84 (55.63%) patients were culture positive for C. difficile. A total of 292 C. difficile isolates were recovered from stool specimens. C. difficile isolation rates from pediatrics (<18 years), adults (18–44 years), elderly adults (45-64 years), and geriatric (≥65 years) age groups were respectively 56.52%, 57.84%, 40.00%, and 50.00%, that were not significantly different (p> 0.05).Conclusion:This is the first report of the C. difficile isolation from hospitals in Kerman city of Iran. The results indicate that CDI might be an important nosocomial infection in hospital wards. There is little epidemiological information about CDI in Iran and it is important to pay attention to this disease. Further research is needed to determine the toxigenic C. difficile strains and types, which are scattered in this region.

Clostridium difficile; CDI; Prevalence; Kerman; Iran