Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40186224›Full record

ArticleGut pathogens2025

Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants.

Aleksander Mahnic, Jana Lozar Krivec, Darja Paro-Panjan, Andreja Valcl, Tanja Obermajer, Bojana Bogovič Matijašić, Evgen Benedik, Petra Bratina, Maja Rupnik

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Gut pathogens, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Aleksander MahnicDepartment for Microbiological Research, National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food, Maribor, Slovenia. aleksander.mahnic@nlzoh.si.
Jana Lozar KrivecDepartment of Neonatology, Division of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Darja Paro-PanjanDepartment of Neonatology, Division of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Andreja ValclDepartment of Paediatrics, General Hospital Slovenj Gradec, Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia.
Tanja ObermajerBiotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Institute of Dairy Science and Probiotics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Bojana Bogovič MatijašićBiotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Institute of Dairy Science and Probiotics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Evgen BenedikDepartment of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Petra BratinaDepartment of Neonatology, Hospital for Women Diseases and Obstetrics Postojna, Postojna, Slovenia.
Maja RupnikDepartment for Microbiological Research, National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food, Maribor, Slovenia.

Funding

The Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency P3-0387The Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency P3-0395The Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency P4-0097University Medical Centre Ljubljana ID-20150021
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAsymptomatic carriage of Clostridioides difficile is highly prevalent in early infancy, affecting approximately 40% of infants. This phenomenon offers a unique opportunity to study its impact on the gut microbiota without the confounding effects of disease. In this study, we analysed C. difficile-associated gut microbiome alterations in 76 asymptomatic infants, one year after receiving antibiotic treatment during early infancy. The presence and concentration of C. difficile were assessed in relation to gut microbiota structure and an extensive set of metadata.

resultsBacterial gut community structure was characterized using 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing, while C. difficile concentration and the presence of the tcdB gene were quantified via digital PCR. C. difficile was detected in 36.8% of infants, with 10.5% testing positive for the tcdB gene. Significant alterations in gut microbiota were observed in relation to C. difficile concentration. Specifically, higher C. difficile loads were associated with reduced microbial diversity, greater deviations from average community structure, and co-occurrence with the genus Escherichia. Conversely, C. difficile colonization alone or the presence of the tcdB gene did not result in significant gut microbiota alterations. Additionally, no host-specific factors were significantly linked to C. difficile prevalence or concentration.

conclusionsAsymptomatic carriage of C. difficile in neonates is not associated with significant gut microbiota alterations unless pathogen concentration is considered. Our findings suggest that elevated C. difficile proliferation occurs in dysbiotic infant gut microbiota, characterized by reduced alpha diversity and an increase in Escherichia.

Indexed as

AsymptomaticClostridioides difficileDysbiosisGut microbiotaInfant

Identifiers

PMID40186224
PMCPMC11971792

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.