Detection of Clostridium Difficile Infection in just 20 Minutes

Oxoid now offers a Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) test that provides results to healthcare professionals in just 20 minutes. The Remel Xpect™ C. difficile Toxin A/B Test, a valuable diagnostic tool for use in the rapid detection of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), is extremely easy to use and provides accurate and reliable results. This speed and convenience enables healthcare professionals to quickly and decisively initiate appropriate patient care and infection control procedures.

Clostridium difficile infection continues to be a major concern across Europe. With each case costing between €5000 and €15,000, the financial impact of this pathogen on the European Union could exceed €3,000 million every year.

Elderly and immunocompromised patients who have recently received antibiotic therapy are most at risk of C. difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD). The emergence of a highly virulent C. difficile strain (ribotype 027) in Canada, North America and Europe has contributed to multiple outbreaks of severe disease in hospitals and care homes. Recent guidelines recommend that, when CDI is suspected, a stool sample should be tested for the presence of C. difficile toxins immediately. Early diagnosis is recognised as one of several factors (including surveillance, education and infection control measures) that combine to prevent the spread of CDI.

The Xpect Clostridium difficile Toxin A/B Test allows the direct detection of both C. difficile toxins A and B in faecal samples. This is important since A-/B+ strains of C. difficile have been linked to CDAD. Diluted sample is
simply mixed with a conjugate buffer and added to the test cassette. Within 20 minutes, the result is clearly visible and easily interpreted. No specialised equipment or expertise is required.

Xpect Clostridium difficile Toxin A/B test is suitable for use in laboratories of any size. This is particularly important since the significance of community-acquired CDI is increasingly recognised. Rapid testing may help healthcare institutions limit the spread of disease.