Is repeat PCR needed for diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection?
Patients with diarrhea, defined as loose or watery stool, and two or more Clostridium difficile tcdB PCR tests within 14 days of each other were investigated. Repeat PCR for 293 patients with a prior negative result yielded negative results in 396 (97.5%) of 406 tests. Ten new positives were detected, including one false positive. Repeat PCR within 7 days appears rarely useful, except for patients with evidence of a new infection.
Luo
Robert F
RF
Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. rluo2@stanford.edu
Banaei
Niaz
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D055815:Young Adult
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile