Toxigenic Clostridium difficile-mediated diarrhoea in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in-patients: rapid diagnosis and efficient treatment

Abstract

Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients are susceptible to any kind of infectious agents including Clostridium difficile. We studied 86 allogenic-HSCT patients who faced diarrhoea while receiving antibiotics. DNA from stool samples were explored for the presence of C. difficile toxin genes (tcdA; tcdB) by multiplex real-time PCR. Results showed nine toxigenic C. difficile amongst which seven were positive for both toxins and two were positive for tcdB. Six of toxigenic C. difficile organisms harbouring both toxin genes were also isolated by toxigenic culture. C. difficile infection was controlled successfully with oral Metronidazole and Vancomycin in the confirmed infected patients.