Clostridium difficile associated disease in Thailand.
Over a twenty-six month period 383 fecal specimens from 269 diarrheal patients and 114 control patients were examined for Clostridium difficile and its cytotoxin. C. difficile was isolated from 13 (4.8%) of overall age group of diarrheal patients and from 3 (2.6%) of controls. Fecal cytotoxin was detected in 106 (52.5%) of 203 diarrheal patients and in 17 (22.4%) of 76 controls. Sixty-one percent of antibiotic-associated diarrheal patients (less than 3 years) and 51% of non-antibiotic associated diarrhea patients had fecal cytotoxin. Enteric pathogens other than C. difficile were detected in 0.7-7.4% of the patients studied. These data suggest that C. difficile associated disease may be frequently encountered in such a developing region studied. Routine diagnosis for C. difficile in diarrheal patients appears to be warranted.
Wongwanich
S
S
Department of Pathology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
Ramsiri
S
S
Vanasin
B
B
Khowsaphit
P
P
Tantipatayangkul
P
P
Phan-urai
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000032:analysis; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003603:Cytotoxins