Rational protocols for testing faeces in the investigation of sporadic hospital-acquired diarrhoea.
Many recent studies have demonstrated that routine examination of faeces for conventional enteric pathogens such as salmonella, shigella, campylobacter and parasites in patients who develop sporadic hospital-acquired diarrhoea is unnecessary and wasteful. In this paper the advantages and disadvantages of a restricted testing protocol in patients with hospital-acquired diarrhoea are reviewed. Practical issues for safe implementation of such a protocol are also discussed.
Gopal Rao
G
G
University Hospital Lewisham, London, SE13 6LH, UK.gopal.rao@uhl.nhs.uk
Ozerek
A E
AE
Jeanes
A
A
D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards; D017046:Cost Savings; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D018579:Patient Selection; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors