A two-step approach improves the diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection.
Title | A two-step approach improves the diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2017 |
Authors | Kachrimanidou, M., Tegou Z., Chasampalioti M., Arvaniti K., Protonotariou E., & Skoura L. |
Journal | J Microbiol Methods |
Volume | 143 |
Pagination | 17-19 |
Date Published | 2017 12 |
ISSN | 1872-8359 |
Keywords | Bacterial Proteins, Bacterial Toxins, Clostridium Infections, DNA, Bacterial, Enterotoxins, Glutamate Dehydrogenase, Humans, Immunoenzyme Techniques, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sensitivity and Specificity |
Abstract | Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of health care-associated diarrhea. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a two-step approach for the diagnosis of CDI. The two-step procedure consisted of GDH-toxin A/B EIA (Enzyme immunoassay targeting enterotoxin A and Cytotoxin B), followed by PCR detecting toxigenic C. difficile. Results indicate that EIAs provide a rapid screening assay for the laboratory diagnosis of CDI but, in GDH-positive and toxins-negative samples, EIA should be always followed by PCR to distinguish toxigenic vs nontoxigenic strains. GDH-toxin A/B EIA-rapid test has high specificity but low sensitivity to detect CDI. The implementation of a two-step procedure significantly increases the diagnostic accuracy to detect CDI and provides a toxigenic type characterization of C. difficile isolates. |
DOI | 10.1016/j.mimet.2017.09.015 |
Alternate Journal | J Microbiol Methods |
PubMed ID | 28970055 |