Abstract
Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic pathogen that causes a spectrum of disease ranging from antibiotic-associated diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. Although the disease was first described in 1893, the etiologic agent was not isolated and identified until 1978. Since clinical and pathological features of C. difficile associated disease are not easily distinguished from those of other gastrointestinal diseases, including ulcerative colitis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and Crohn's disease, diagnostic methods have relied on either isolation and identification of the microorganism or direct detection of bacterial antigens or toxins in stool specimens. The current review focuses on the sensitivity, specificity, and practical use of several diagnostic tests, including methods for culture of the etiologic agent, cellular cytotoxicity assays, latex agglutination tests, enzyme immunoassay systems, counterimmuno-electrophoresis, fluorescent-antibody assays, and polymerase chain reactions.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 251-265 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Clinical Microbiology Reviews |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1993 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Epidemiology
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases
Cite this
Clostridium difficile : Clinical disease and diagnosis. / Knoop, Floyd C.; Owens, M.; Crocker, I. C.
In: Clinical Microbiology Reviews, Vol. 6, No. 3, 01.01.1993, p. 251-265.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Clostridium difficile
T2 - Clinical disease and diagnosis
AU - Knoop, Floyd C.
AU - Owens, M.
AU - Crocker, I. C.
PY - 1993/1/1
Y1 - 1993/1/1
N2 - Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic pathogen that causes a spectrum of disease ranging from antibiotic-associated diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. Although the disease was first described in 1893, the etiologic agent was not isolated and identified until 1978. Since clinical and pathological features of C. difficile associated disease are not easily distinguished from those of other gastrointestinal diseases, including ulcerative colitis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and Crohn's disease, diagnostic methods have relied on either isolation and identification of the microorganism or direct detection of bacterial antigens or toxins in stool specimens. The current review focuses on the sensitivity, specificity, and practical use of several diagnostic tests, including methods for culture of the etiologic agent, cellular cytotoxicity assays, latex agglutination tests, enzyme immunoassay systems, counterimmuno-electrophoresis, fluorescent-antibody assays, and polymerase chain reactions.
AB - Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic pathogen that causes a spectrum of disease ranging from antibiotic-associated diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. Although the disease was first described in 1893, the etiologic agent was not isolated and identified until 1978. Since clinical and pathological features of C. difficile associated disease are not easily distinguished from those of other gastrointestinal diseases, including ulcerative colitis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and Crohn's disease, diagnostic methods have relied on either isolation and identification of the microorganism or direct detection of bacterial antigens or toxins in stool specimens. The current review focuses on the sensitivity, specificity, and practical use of several diagnostic tests, including methods for culture of the etiologic agent, cellular cytotoxicity assays, latex agglutination tests, enzyme immunoassay systems, counterimmuno-electrophoresis, fluorescent-antibody assays, and polymerase chain reactions.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0027228486&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1128/CMR.6.3.251
DO - 10.1128/CMR.6.3.251
M3 - Review article
VL - 6
SP - 251
EP - 265
JO - Clinical Microbiology Reviews
JF - Clinical Microbiology Reviews
SN - 0893-8512
IS - 3
ER -