Detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile in diarrheal stools by rapid real-time polymerase chain reaction.
The Cepheid Xpert polymerase chain reaction assay (Sunnyvale, CA) had a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 96.7%, and positive and negative predictive values of 90.5% and 100%, respectively, compared with toxigenic culture for the laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile in diarrheal stool samples. This test appears to be a significant improvement to poorly performing enzyme immunoassays.
Goldenberg
Simon D
SD
Directorate of Infection, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. simon.goldenberg@gstt.nhs.uk
Dieringer
Thomas
T
French
Gary L
GL
D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D001427:Bacterial Toxins