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Rapid identification of Clostridium difficile by toxin detection
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|March 1, 1982
Summary
Rapidly identify Clostridium difficile in stool within 24 hours by detecting toxin in cycloserine-cefoxitin broth cultures. This method offers faster and more sensitive results than agar plates for Clostridium difficile toxin detection.
Area of Science:
- Clinical microbiology
- Infectious diseases
- Diagnostic methods
Background:
- Clostridium difficile infections require rapid diagnosis for effective treatment.
- Traditional diagnostic methods can be time-consuming.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a rapid method for Clostridium difficile identification in stool specimens.
- To compare the efficacy of broth versus agar cultures for toxin detection.
Main Methods:
- Culturing stool specimens in agar and broth media containing cycloserine and cefoxitin.
- Detection of elaborated toxin.
- Assessment of culture speed and sensitivity.
Main Results:
- Rapid identification of Clostridium difficile within 24 hours is achievable.
- Broth cultures provided more rapid and sensitive toxin detection compared to agar plates.
- Chopped meat broth and blood agar are recommended for cultivation, toxin detection, and pure culture isolation.
Conclusions:
- Cycloserine-cefoxitin supplemented broth cultures enable rapid Clostridium difficile toxin detection.
- This method improves diagnostic turnaround time for Clostridium difficile infections.
- Combined use of broth for toxin detection and agar for isolation is advised.