Biomaterial Database

Comparison of two commercially available enzyme immunoassays for detection of Clostridium difficile in stool specimens. 1994

S S Altaie, and P Meyer, and D Dryja

Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo.

Clostridium difficile is the cause of most cases of pseudomembranous colitis, the most severe form of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Rapid diagnosis guides both the treatment and the control of nosocomial spread of infection. Two enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits developed for the rapid detection of C. difficile toxin A in fecal specimens, Premier (Meridian Diagnostics, Cincinnati, Ohio) and Tox-A test (TechLab, Virginia Polytechnic Institute Research Park, Blacksburg), were evaluated by using 410 fecal specimens. Seventy-six specimens were positive for C. difficile toxin B by the cytotoxin assay (prevalence rate, 19%). The Meridian EIA was positive for 71 of the 76 samples, yielding a sensitivity of 93%. The TechLab EIA detected 75 of the 76 positive samples, yielding a sensitivity of 99%. The Meridian and TechLab EIAs had specificities of 100 and 93%, respectively. These data indicate that both EIAs are suitable alternatives to the cytotoxin assay in routine diagnostic laboratories. However, confirmation of TechLab EIA-positive test results by the cytotoxin assay remains necessary.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007124	Immunoenzyme Techniques	Immunologic techniques based on the use of: (1) enzyme-antibody conjugates; (2) enzyme-antigen conjugates; (3) antienzyme antibody followed by its homologous enzyme; or (4) enzyme-antienzyme complexes. These are used histologically for visualizing or labeling tissue specimens.	Antibody Enzyme Technique, Unlabeled,Enzyme Immunoassay,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technique,Immunoassay, Enzyme,Immunoperoxidase Techniques,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technique,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technique,Antibody Enzyme Technic, Unlabeled,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technic,Immunoenzyme Technics,Immunoperoxidase Technics,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technic,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technic,Antibody Technic, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technic, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Technics, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technics, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Technique, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technique, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Techniques, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Techniques, Peroxidase-Labeled,Enzyme Immunoassays,Enzyme Labeled Antibody Technic,Enzyme Labeled Antibody Technique,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technics,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Techniques,Immunoassays, Enzyme,Immunoenzyme Technic,Immunoenzyme Technique,Immunoperoxidase Technic,Immunoperoxidase Technique,Peroxidase Antiperoxidase Complex Technic,Peroxidase Antiperoxidase Complex Technique,Peroxidase Labeled Antibody Technic,Peroxidase Labeled Antibody Technique,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technics,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Techniques,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technics,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Techniques,Technic, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technic, Immunoenzyme,Technic, Immunoperoxidase,Technic, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technic, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Technics, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technics, Immunoenzyme,Technics, Immunoperoxidase,Technics, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technics, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Technique, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technique, Immunoenzyme,Technique, Immunoperoxidase,Technique, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technique, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Techniques, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Techniques, Immunoenzyme,Techniques, Immunoperoxidase,Techniques, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Techniques, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody
D011933	Reagent Kits, Diagnostic	Commercially prepared reagent sets, with accessory devices, containing all of the major components and literature necessary to perform one or more designated diagnostic tests or procedures. They may be for laboratory or personal use.	Diagnostic Reagent Kits,Diagnostic Reagents and Test Kits,Diagnostic Test Kits,In Vitro Diagnostic Device,In Vitro Diagnostic Devices,In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device,In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices,Kits, Diagnostic Reagent,Diagnostic Reagent Kit,Diagnostic Test Kit,Kit, Diagnostic Reagent,Kit, Diagnostic Test,Kits, Diagnostic Test,Reagent Kit, Diagnostic,Test Kit, Diagnostic,Test Kits, Diagnostic
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D004761	Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous	An acute inflammation of the INTESTINAL MUCOSA that is characterized by the presence of pseudomembranes or plaques in the SMALL INTESTINE (pseudomembranous enteritis) and the LARGE INTESTINE (pseudomembranous colitis). It is commonly associated with antibiotic therapy and CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE colonization.	Antibiotic-Associated Colitis,Clostridium Enterocolitis,Colitis, Pseudomembranous,Enteritis, Pseudomembranous,Pseudomembranous Colitis,Pseudomembranous Enteritis,Pseudomembranous Enterocolitis,Antibiotic Associated Colitis,Colitis, Antibiotic-Associated
D004768	Enterotoxins	Substances that are toxic to the intestinal tract causing vomiting, diarrhea, etc.; most common enterotoxins are produced by bacteria.	Staphylococcal Enterotoxin,Enterotoxin,Staphylococcal Enterotoxins,Enterotoxin, Staphylococcal,Enterotoxins, Staphylococcal
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults