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Detection of toxigenicClostridium difficile in fecal samples by colony blot hybridization

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Abstract

A hybridization assay for detection of toxigenicClostridium difficile in fecal samples was developed and compared with the classical tissue culture cytotoxicity assay. A DNA fragment probe specific for the toxin B gene ofClostridium difficile was synthesized by the polymerase chain reaction and labelled with digoxigenin. Fecal samples were cultured for 24 hours, replica-plated and hybridized with the probe. The hybridization assay had a sensitivity of 100 %, specificity of 96.7 %, positive predictive value of 86.7 % and negative predictive value of 100 % compared with the cytotoxicity assay.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eijkman-Winkler Laboratory for Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Utrecht, Room G.04.614, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M. J. H. M. Wolfhagen, A. C. Fluit, M. Jansze, C. M. A. Rademaker & J. Verhoef

  2. Laboratory of Bacteriology and Antimicrobial Agents, National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, PO Box 1, 3720 CS, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    M. J. H. M. Wolfhagen

  3. U-gene Research, Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    A. C. Fluit

Authors
  1. M. J. H. M. Wolfhagen
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  2. A. C. Fluit
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  3. M. Jansze
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  4. C. M. A. Rademaker
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  5. J. Verhoef
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Wolfhagen, M.J.H.M., Fluit, A.C., Jansze, M. et al. Detection of toxigenicClostridium difficile in fecal samples by colony blot hybridization. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 12, 463–466 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01967444

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