Genomic and phenotypic diversity of Clostridium difficile during long-term sequential recurrences of infection.

Infection with the emerging pathogen Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile might lead to colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of humans and mammals eventually resulting in antibiotic-associated diarrhea, which can be mild to possibly life-threatening. Recurrences after antibiotic treatment have been described in 15–30% of the cases and are either caused by the original (relapse) or by new strains (reinfection).