Evaluation of a simultaneous detection kit for the glutamate dehydrogenase antigen and toxin A/B in feces for diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection
The presumptive laboratory diagnosis of <em>Clostridium</em> <em>difficile</em> infection is achieved by the means of the detection of a common antigen (glutamate dehydrogenase, GDH) in stool, then confirming the positives either by the detection of toxins A and B or by a molecular test for the detection of pathogenicity <em>locus</em>, encoding for the two toxins and for the binary toxin. A fully automated chemiluminescence system for the GDH antigen (LIAISON® C. difficile GDH) and for the detection of toxins A and B (LIAISON® C. difficile Toxin A and B) (DiaSorin, Gerenzano, Italy) allows for the performance of these tests on large numbers of samples in a short time, ensuring the traceability of the data.
ABSTRACTIgG antibodies againstClostridium difficiletoxins A and B were followed in controls and in patients with an initialC. difficileinfection (CDI). Of the 50 CDI patients, 38 were cured and 12 developed recurrence. Compared to controls, patients had significantly lower anti-toxin A and B IgGs at inclusion, but the subsequent levels rose slightly regardless of clinical outcome. The results imply that the general serum reactivity against toxins A and B in the population reduces the risk of CDI, which suggests implications for vaccine strategies.
Evaluation of a Rapid Membrane Enzyme Immunoassay for the Simultaneous Detection of Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Toxin for the Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Infection