What lab test indicates C. diff?
What lab test indicates C. diff?
Sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic laboratory tests for CDI
| C. difficile Laboratory Tests | Substance detected | Specificity** % |
|---|---|---|
| Toxin Culture (gold standard) | Toxigenic C. difficile | 80-90 |
| EIA toxin A or A/B | Toxin A or A/B | 97-98 |
| EIA GDH | C. difficile | 70-80 |
| EIA GDH and toxin A/B | C. difficile and C. difficile toxin | 97-98 |
Does your WBC increase with C. diff?
Approach Considerations. Leukocytosis is common in C difficile infection (CDI) and the white blood cell (WBC) count levels may be quite elevated, a finding that portends a worse prognosis. Patients with C difficile are also prone to acute kidney injury.
What is C. diff positive?
If tests for C. difficile toxin gene and C. difficile toxin are positive, it is likely that the person’s diarrhea and related symptoms are due to the presence of toxin-producing C. difficile.
How long before Vancomycin works for C. diff?
Most patients respond in several days. In one study of patients with mild-to-moderate disease, symptoms resolved in an average of 3.0 days with vancomycin and 4.6 days with metronidazole. In the past, response rates to both drugs have been 95% or better.
Can C. diff cause high neutrophils?
In addition to colonic tissue, an increase in neutrophils in the peripheral blood is commonly seen after C. difficile infection in both humans and animal models of disease [16,17].
Can C. diff cause low white blood cell count?
“Although white blood cell count is an important prognostic indicator in patients with C diff infection, an isolated white blood cell count elevation has low sensitivity and specificity as a predictor of fecal C diff NAAT positivity in the inpatient setting,” the study authors concluded.
