What is you approach to C. difficile treatment in patients admitted for acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) with a positive GDH and PCR with a negative EIA for toxins?
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What is you approach to C. difficile treatment in patients admitted for acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) with a positive GDH and PCR with a negative EIA for toxins?
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1 Answer
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Infectious Disease · Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Answered on
GDH is an excellent screening test, but not specific for C. diff. The PCR is for the toxin gene, but does not necessarily indicate that there is toxin production or clinical C. diff. So this combination does not likely represent active C. diff. However, the toxin assay has about a 15% false negative...
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