[Laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection].
Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhoea in developed countries, and is one of the main aetiologic agents of community diarrhea. The eruption of the hypervirulent strain BI/NAP1/027 has given rise to an increase in the morbidity and mortality of C.difficile infection (CDI). This document aims to review the main clinical pictures of CDI and the laboratory diagnosis, including sampling, transport and storage of specimens, specimen processing, diagnostic procedures, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and molecular characterisation of the isolates. The main purpose of the article is to develop a practical document that provides answers to the main questions that arise in the laboratory diagnosis of CDI.
Servicio de Microbiología y Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España. Electronic address: luisalcala@efd.net.
Luis
L
Alcalá-Hernández
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, España.
Ana
A
Mena-Ribas
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, España.
Jordi
J
Niubó-Bosh
Servicio de Microbiología y Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España.
Mercedes
M
Marín-Arriaza
D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans
Clostridium difficile; Diagnosis; Diagnóstico; Diarrea; Diarrhoea