[Detection of toxin producing strains of Clostridium difficile using rapid diagnostic methods]

Feces of 53 patients from different hospital wards suffering from long term post-antibiotic therapy diarrhea were tested. For direct detection of C. difficile toxin A, in samples TCD (Becton-Dickinson), and C. difficile Toxin A Test (Oxoid) tests were used. Toxin A was detected in 16 samples (29.6% tested). C. difficile strains were isolated from 40% of the fecal samples. Toxin A was detected in 25 Clostridium difficile strains with commercial tests and toxin B was detected using McCoy cell line. Toxin A was not produced by 3 C. difficile strains in vitro, but toxin B was produced by all strains. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test showed that all isolated strains possess genes of toxins A and B.