Molecular detection (PCR) of Clostridium difficile toxigenicity at Payvand Lab.

Accurate and fast diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) in laboratories is still a significant challenge. CDI is responsible for 15-25% of cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) acquired in hospitals, as well as all cases of pseudomembranous colitis.

The bacterium has two main virulence factors, toxin A and toxin B, which are encoded by the genes tcdA and tcdB respectively. CDI is a major cause of nosocomial infections and is one of the leading causes of infectious antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis worldwide. Symptoms can range from no symptoms to mild diarrhea, colitis, severe life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis, and fulminant colitis. The most common risk factors for CDI include previous antibiotic use, age over 65 years, and recent long-term hospitalization.

There are several laboratory tests available for diagnosing CDI, including enzyme immunoassay (EIA), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), cytotoxicity assay (CA), toxigenic culture, and molecular PCR test. Among these methods, molecular PCR testing has the highest sensitivity and specificity. PCR is used to detect the presence of toxin A or toxin B genes in strains or directly in fecal samples.

Payvand Clinical and Specialty Laboratory has developed a real-time PCR assay that can rapidly identify potential Clostridium difficile infection within 48 hours after sample collection.