Utility of a commercial PCR assay and a clinical prediction rule for detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile in asymptomatic carriers

Curtis J Donskey; Venkata C K Sunkesula; Annette L Jencson; Nimalie D Stone; Carolyn V Gould; L Clifford McDonald; Matthew Samore; Jeanmarie Mayer; Susan Pacheco; Susan Sambol; Laurica Petrella; Deborah Terry; Dale N Gerding

doi:10.1128/JCM.01852-13

Utility of a commercial PCR assay and a clinical prediction rule for detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile in asymptomatic carriers

J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Jan;52(1):315-8. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01852-13. Epub 2013 Oct 23.

Authors

Curtis J Donskey¹, Venkata C K Sunkesula, Annette L Jencson, Nimalie D Stone, Carolyn V Gould, L Clifford McDonald, Matthew Samore, Jeanmarie Mayer, Susan Pacheco, Susan Sambol, Laurica Petrella, Deborah Terry, Dale N Gerding

Affiliation

¹ Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Abstract

A commercial PCR assay of perirectal swab specimens detected 17 (68%) of 25 asymptomatic carriers of toxigenic Clostridium difficile, including 93% with skin and/or environmental contamination. A clinical prediction rule, followed by PCR screening, could be used to identify carriers at high risk of C. difficile shedding.

Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Bacterial Toxins / biosynthesis*
Carrier State / diagnosis*
Carrier State / microbiology
Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification*
Clostridium Infections / diagnosis*
Clostridium Infections / microbiology
Decision Support Techniques*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Rectum / microbiology

Substances

Bacterial Toxins