Detection ofClostridium difficile toxin by enzyme immunoassay, tissue culture test and culture

Abstract

Clostridium difficile toxin is frequently encountered in patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhea. A commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) detecting toxins A and B was evaluated, screening 148 stool specimens specifically submitted for the detection of C. difficile. A sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 97.5% were found compared to a tissue culture assay. The overall prevalence of C. difficile toxin was 22.1%. Cephalosporins had been administered significantly more often to toxin-positive patients. The EIA proved to be a suitable test for the detection of C. difficile toxin, revealing high prevalences in specifically submitted clinical specimens.

Culture of intestinal biopsy specimens and stool culture for detection of bacterial enteropathogens in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. The Berlin Diarrhea/Wasting Syndrome Study Group

“…Stool specimens were cultured for Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., Aeromonas spp., and Campylobacter spp. and assayed for the presence of Clostridium difficile toxin as previously described (9,10). Briefly, serial stool samples were cultured on solid (Wilson and Blair's, salmonella-shigella, Cefsulodin-Irgasan-novobiocin, Endo, Columbia chocolate, and blood agars) and broth (tetrathionate and selenite) media.…”