title: S05
design: The stool samples were collected in clean, wide mouth disposable container and were processed immediately, or kept at 4C8C until processing. Stool samples were analysed for toxigenic C. difficile by C. diff Quik Chek Complete (QCC) rapid membrane immunoassay kit (TechLab, Blacksburg, VA, USA) as previously described7, which simultaneously detects the presence of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and C. difficile toxins A/B in stool samples. Stool samples testing positive for GDH and toxin or toxin alone were subsequently cultured for C. difficile by toxigenic culture using standard operating protocols