Impact of changes in Clostridium difficile testing practices on stool rejection policies and C. difficile positivity rates across multiple laboratories in the United States

Jessica Cohen; Brandi Limbago; Ghinwa Dumyati; Stacy Holzbauer; Helen Johnston; Rebecca Perlmutter; John Dunn; Joelle Nadle; Carol Lyons; Erin Phipps; Zintars Beldavs; Leigh Ann Clark; Fernanda C Lessa; CDC's Clostridium difficile Infection Surveillance Investigators

doi:10.1128/JCM.02177-13

Impact of changes in Clostridium difficile testing practices on stool rejection policies and C. difficile positivity rates across multiple laboratories in the United States

J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Feb;52(2):632-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02177-13. Epub 2013 Nov 20.

Authors

Jessica Cohen¹, Brandi Limbago, Ghinwa Dumyati, Stacy Holzbauer, Helen Johnston, Rebecca Perlmutter, John Dunn, Joelle Nadle, Carol Lyons, Erin Phipps, Zintars Beldavs, Leigh Ann Clark, Fernanda C Lessa; CDC's Clostridium difficile Infection Surveillance Investigators

Affiliation

¹ Atlanta Research and Education Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Abstract

We describe the adoption of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) for Clostridium difficile diagnosis and their impact on stool rejection policies and C. difficile positivity rates. Of the laboratories with complete surveys, 51 (43%) reported using NAAT in 2011. Laboratories using NAAT had stricter rejection policies and increased positivity rates.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Bacteriological Techniques / methods*
Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification*
Clostridium Infections / diagnosis*
Clostridium Infections / microbiology*
Feces / microbiology*
Humans
Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / methods*
Organizational Policy
United States