Detection of clostridial toxins in stools from children with diarrhoea

A cell-culture assay was used to detect toxins directly in stools from sporadic cases of infantile diarrhoea. Cytotoxins were revealed in 11 out of 58 samples from children with diarrhoea, nine of whom had no common enteric pathogens in their stools. A preliminary characterisation of the cytotoxins was obtained by neutralisation tests with clostridial antitoxins.