A novel method for rapidly diagnosing the causes of diarrhoea.
BACKGROUND
The microbiological diagnosis of infectious diarrhoea may take several days using conventional techniques. In order to determine whether flatus can be used to make a rapid diagnosis, the volatile organic compounds associated with diarrhoea were analysed.


METHODS
Stool samples were collected from 35 patients with infectious diarrhoea and from six healthy controls. Gaseous compounds were extracted from a headspace using solid phase microextraction and analysed using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy.


RESULTS
Characteristic patterns of volatile gases were found for the main causes of infectious diarrhoea in hospitals. Furan species without indoles indicated Clostridium difficile, ethyl dodecanoate indicated rotavirus, ammonia without ethyl dodecanoate suggested other enteric viruses, and the absence of hydrocarbons and terpenes indicated Campylobacter infection.


CONCLUSIONS
These results could be the basis of rapid near patient diagnosis of infectious diarrhoea.
Probert
C S J
CS
Department of Medicine, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol, UK. c.s.j.probert@bristol.ac.uk
Jones
P R H
PR
Ratcliffe
N M
NM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
D015415:Biomarkers