title: Performance assessment of the BD MAX Cdiff assay in comparison to Xpert C. difficile assay in a setting with very low prevalence of toxigenic Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 027.
abstract: In a clinical setting with low prevalence of 'epidemic' PCR ribotype 027, the BD MAX Cdiff assay was found to be a suitable alternative to the Xpert C. difficile assay for the detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile in samples which are reflex PCR tested after obtaining a discrepant immunoassay result. There was no significant difference between the sensitivities and specificities of both commercial molecular assays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Singapore.
authors.forename: My-Van
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: La
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jureen
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore.
authors.forename: Raymond T P
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore. Electronic address: Jeanette_Teo@nuhs.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Jeanette W P
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Teo
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D021521:Ribotyping; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: Clostridium; Nosocomial infection; Real-time PCR