A new study reports whole-genome sequencing of a large collection of healthcare-associated C. difficile isolates, followed by comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses. This work provides insight into the emergence of the current C. difficile epidemic 027/BI/NAP1 clone, which can be separated into two lineages on the basis of both SNPs and larger genetic changes mediated by mobile elements.
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Rasko, D. Clostridium difficile healthcare-associated epidemics. Nat Genet 45, 6–7 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.2499
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.2499
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