Maternal transmission of symptomatic clostridioides difficile infection to two premature neonates

Seljogi, D.; Vanhove, A.L.E.M.; Vogelzang, J.L.; Boers, S.A.; Prehn, J. van; Benninga, M.A.; ... ; Natl Expertise Ctr Clostridioides Difficile Infect (2025)

Article / Letter to editor

Background:

Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) in neonates are challenging to diagnose due to high asymptomatic gut colonization rates with C. difficile in newborns and the difficulty of differentiating colonization and infection.

Objective:

We describe a case of a severe CDI with a complicated course in a 48-year-old mother who had prior hospitalization and antibiotic treatment. She gave birth to a triplet at a gestational age of 31 weeks and transmitted toxin-producing C. difficile belonging to polymerase chain reaction ribotype 002 onto 3 newborns of which 2 developed diarrhea which responded well to anti-CDI treatment.

Conclusion:

Testing for CDI in neonates should be considered if the mother developed CDI during the peripartum period.

• maternal transmission
• Clostridioides difficile infection
• whole genome sequencing

• All authors: Seljogi, D.; Vanhove, A.L.E.M.; Vogelzang, J.L.; Boers, S.A.; Prehn, J. van; Benninga, M.A.; Kuijper, E.; Natl Expertise Ctr Clostridioides Difficile Infect
• Date: 2025-10-01
• Journal: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
• Volume: 44
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 985 - 987
• DOI: doi:10.1097/INF.0000000000004852