title: Prevalence of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea among hospitalized Jordanian patients.
abstract: We investigated stool specimens of 400 patients at Jordan University Hospital (300 patients with clinical diarrhoea and 100 controls without diarrhoea) for the presence of Clostridium difficile or its toxin. We found a 9.7% prevalence rate of C. difficile or its toxin in stools of patients with diarrhoea. The prevalence of other potential enteric pathogens, such as Salmonella spp. (2.3%), Shigella spp. (1.0%) and Entamoeba histolytica (2.7%), was significantly less. Prevalence of C. difficile or its toxin in controls was 3.0%. Toxin A was detected in 93.1% of C. difficile-associated diarrhoea cases using an enzyme immunoassay. Our study indicates that C. difficile-associated diarrhoea is mostly observed among hospitalized patients aged > or = 50 years, in association with antimicrobial treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shehabi
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Abu-Ragheb
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Allaham
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017053:Infection Control; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A