Ultrasensitive Clostridioides difficile Toxin Testing for Higher Diagnostic Accuracy
Johanna Sandlund, Kerrie Davies, Mark H. Wilcox
Abstract
Currently available diagnostic tests for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) lack specificity or sensitivity, which has led to guideline recommendations for multistep testing algorithms. Ultrasensitive assays for detection of C. difficile toxins provide measurements of disease-specific markers at very low concentrations. These assays may show improved accuracy compared to that of current testing methods and offer a potential standalone solution for CDI diagnosis, although large studies of clinical performance and accuracy are lacking.
Topics & Concepts
ClostridioidesDiagnostic accuracyDiagnostic testGuidelineClostridium difficileToxinMedicineC difficileMicrobiologyBiologyPathologyInternal medicineAntibioticsEmergency medicineClostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens researchMicroscopic ColitisViral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology