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Updated: Jan 21, 2026

A Protein Microarray Assay for Serological Determination of Antigen-specific Antibody Responses Following Clostridium difficile Infection
09:12

A Protein Microarray Assay for Serological Determination of Antigen-specific Antibody Responses Following Clostridium difficile Infection

Published on: June 15, 2018

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Clostridium difficile infection and colonisation in children under 3 years of age: prospective comparative study

V Musil, L Homola, M Vrba

    Epidemiologie, Mikrobiologie, Imunologie : Casopis Spolecnosti Pro Epidemiologii a Mikrobiologii Ceske Lekarske Spolecnosti J.E. Purkyne
    |August 11, 2019
    PubMed

    Insights

    In young children, Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is uncommon even with diarrhea. However, toxigenic C. difficile is frequently found in infants with diarrhea, indicating potential colonization.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
    • Gastroenterology
    • Microbiology

    Background:

    • Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) are rising, with high colonization rates in young children.
    • Infants under three years old show remarkable resistance to developing symptomatic CDI.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To determine the prevalence of CDI in children under three with diarrhea.
    • To compare CDI incidence between children with and without diarrhea.
    • To assess the severity of CDI in this pediatric population.

    Main Methods:

    • A prospective study was conducted between May 2015 and June 2016.
    • Children aged three years or younger were divided into two groups (diarrhea and control).
    • Fecal samples were analyzed using a two-step diagnostic algorithm (immunochromatographic test and PCR).

    Main Results:

    • The study included 147 children with diarrhea and 75 controls.
    • The prevalence of CDI in children with diarrhea was 2%.
    • Prevalence of toxigenic C. difficile was 11.6% in the diarrhea group versus 10.6% in controls.

    Conclusions:

    • Symptomatic CDI is rare in children under three with diarrhea.
    • Toxigenic C. difficile is commonly detected in infants presenting with diarrhea, suggesting colonization rather than active infection.
    Abstract

    Keywords:
    Clostridium difficilecolonisationdiarrhoeainfantsneonatespaediatrics

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