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[Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection in pseudomembranous colitis]

F Pedersen1, A Lester, H D Petersen

  • 1H:S Frederiksberg Hospital, medicinsk center.

Ugeskrift for Laeger
|June 13, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection can be hard to diagnose with negative stool cultures. Biopsy cultures from colon plaques offer a new method for detecting C. diff in patients with diarrhea.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Clostridioides difficile is a primary cause of pseudomembranous colitis.
  • Asymptomatic colonization with C. difficile can occur.
  • Standard stool cultures may yield false-negative results in some patients.

Observation:

  • Two patients presented with diarrhea and multiple negative stool cultures for C. difficile.
  • Endoscopic examination revealed severe colitis in one patient, resembling pseudomembranous colitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
  • The second patient's endoscopic findings were characteristic of pseudomembranous colitis.

Findings:

  • Cultures from colon plaque biopsies were positive for C. difficile in both patients.
  • This suggests colon plaque biopsy culture is a viable diagnostic method.

Implications:

  • Biopsy culture of colon plaques may improve C. difficile detection rates.
  • This technique is particularly useful when stool cultures are negative.
  • Enhanced diagnostic approaches are crucial for managing C. difficile infections.

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