Rapid Tests Available for Clostridium Difficile

Two enzyme immunoassays and a rapid card format test provide rapid and accurate detection of the toxinotype III strain of Clostridium difficile. This strain was responsible for recent outbreaks of diarrhea in hospitals in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

The toxinotype III strain appears to have heightened virulence as well as some antibiotic resistance, which make treatment more difficult. Hospitals in the United States have reported cases of C difficile in patients not thought to be at risk for developing this traditionally nosocomial infection. Because the strain has led to increased morbidity and mortality among patients, the need for early detection and isolation has increased.

The cytotoxin test traditionally used to detect this strain is highly sensitive, but results are not available for 24-72 hours. Meridian Bioscience (Cincinnati, OH, USA) offers several assays for detection of the C difficile common antigen or its toxins. The Premier toxins A&B kit is a sensitive, specific microwell assay designed for high-volume laboratories. The Premier kit has a sensitivity of 94.7% and provides results within 60 minutes.

Meridian Bioscience also offers ImmunoCard toxins A&B, which is a rapid card-format test that has a 98% correlation with cytotoxin testing. ImmunoCard results are available in approximately 15 minutes.



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