Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, is in... more Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, is increasing in incidence and severity with the emergence and diffusion of hypervirulent strains. CDI is precipitated by antibiotic treatment that destroys the equilibrium of gut microbiota. Human α-defensin 5 (HD5), the most abundant enteric antimicrobial peptide, is a key regulator of gut microbiota homeostasis; yet it is still unknown if C.difficile, that successfully evades killing by other host microbicidal peptides, is susceptible to HD5. We evaluated, by means of viability assay, FACS analysis and electron microscopy, the antimicrobial activity of α-defensin 1 and 5 against a panel of C.difficile strains encompassing the most prevalent epidemic and hypervirulent PCR-ribotypes in Europe (012, 014/020, 106, 018, 027 and 078). Here we show that: i) concentrations of HD5, within the intestinal physiological range, produced massive C.difficile cell killing; ii) HD5 bactericidal activity wa...
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, is in... more Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, is increasing in incidence and severity with the emergence and diffusion of hypervirulent strains. CDI is precipitated by antibiotic treatment that destroys the equilibrium of gut microbiota. Human α-defensin 5 (HD5), the most abundant enteric antimicrobial peptide, is a key regulator of gut microbiota homeostasis; yet it is still unknown if C.difficile, that successfully evades killing by other host microbicidal peptides, is susceptible to HD5. We evaluated, by means of viability assay, FACS analysis and electron microscopy, the antimicrobial activity of α-defensin 1 and 5 against a panel of C.difficile strains encompassing the most prevalent epidemic and hypervirulent PCR-ribotypes in Europe (012, 014/020, 106, 018, 027 and 078). Here we show that: i) concentrations of HD5, within the intestinal physiological range, produced massive C.difficile cell killing; ii) HD5 bactericidal activity wa...
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