title: Rapid polymerase chain reaction method for specific detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile.
abstract: A rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile directly from fecal samples by amplification of toxin A gene fragments was investigated. The technique was applied to monitor the spread of the microorganism in a long-term care ward with a relatively high incidence of overt episodes of diarrhea. The PCR approach has several advantages over traditional methods, rapidly allowing the specific detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile strains from stool samples in both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects with toxigenic strains. This PCR method allows early detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile and could thus represent a powerful tool for the surveillance of epidemics.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arzese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Riul
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Botta
mesh_terms: D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity