Laboratory diagnosis techniques for Clostridium difficile: a comparative approach of rapid and molecular methods

• Grant number: 16/20962-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2017
• End date: January 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Marinês Dalla Valle Martino
• Grantee: Thais Simões Camargo
• Host Institution: Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein (IIEPAE). Sociedade Beneficente Israelita Brasileira Albert Einstein (SBIBAE). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Clostridium difficile infection is a public health problem because of its easy spreading, since is caused by a spore forming bacterium and, therefore, very contagious by fecal-oral route; with harmful consequences, it's essential to reduce hospital costs and prevent its dissemination to have a precise diagnosis of the disease. However, currently, there are lots of questionings about the best way to perform the diagnosis. The gold standard would be the DNA amplification technique and verification whether the toxin related gene is present (PCR); however, this technique is contested due to the fact that the bacterium may possess this gene but not express it, which does not mean the person has the disease. The objective of this study is to make a comparison between molecular methods (PCR) and rapid methods (immunochromatographics, ELISA, based on GDH and toxin). A series of tests comprising these techniques of diagnosis will be made with 50 patients admitted to Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein with loose or diarrheal stool specimens that have a positive result on GeneXpert® devices test; from the calculation of specificity, sensitivity, PPV and NPV, a comparison of the efficiency of all methods will be executed. (AU)