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Pumiglia L, Wilson L, Rashidi L. Clostridioides difficile Colitis. Surg Clin North Am 2024; 104:545-556. [PMID: 38677819 DOI: 10.1016/j.suc.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile colitis is an important source of hospital-acquired diarrhea associated with antibiotic use. Symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea, typically following a course of antibiotics; however, some cases of fulminant disease may manifest with shock, ileus, or megacolon. Nonfulminant colitis is treated with oral fidaxomicin. C difficile colitis has a high potential for recurrence, and recurrent episodes are also treated with fidaxomicin. Bezlotoxumab is another medication that may be used in populations at high risk for further recurrence. Fulminant disease is treated with maximal medical therapy and early surgical consultation. Antibiotic stewardship is critical to preventing C difficile colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Pumiglia
- Department of General Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Jackson Avenue, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA 98431, USA
| | - Lexi Wilson
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Swedish Medical Center, 747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
| | - Laila Rashidi
- Department of Surgery, MultiCare Health Care System, Washington State University, 3124 19th Street Suite 220, Tacoma, WA 98405, USA.
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2
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Ke S, Villafuerte Gálvez JA, Sun Z, Cao Y, Pollock NR, Chen X, Kelly CP, Liu YY. Rational Design of Live Biotherapeutic Products for the Prevention of Clostridioides difficile Infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.30.591969. [PMID: 38746249 PMCID: PMC11092666 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the leading causes of healthcare- and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. While fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a promising therapy for recurrent CDI, its exact mechanisms of action and long-term safety are not fully understood. Defined consortia of clonal bacterial isolates, known as live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), have been proposed as an alternative therapeutic option. However, the rational design of LBPs remains challenging. Here, we employ a computational pipeline and three independent metagenomic datasets to systematically identify microbial strains that have the potential to inhibit CDI. We first constructed the CDI-related microbial genome catalog, comprising 3,741 non-redundant metagenome-assembled genomes (nrMAGs) at the strain level. We then identified multiple potential protective nrMAGs that can be candidates for the design of microbial consortia targeting CDI, including strains from Dorea formicigenerans, Oscillibacter welbionis, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Importantly, some of these potential protective nrMAGs were found to play an important role in the success of FMT, and the majority of the top protective nrMAGs can be validated by various previously reported findings. Our results demonstrate a computational framework for the rational selection of microbial strains targeting CDI, paving the way for the computational design of microbial consortia against other enteric infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanlin Ke
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Javier A Villafuerte Gálvez
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Zheng Sun
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Yangchun Cao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nira R Pollock
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Ciarán P Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Yang-Yu Liu
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Modeling, The Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
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3
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van Prehn J, Crobach MJT, Baktash A, Duszenko N, Kuijper EJ. Diagnostic Guidance for C. difficile Infections. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1435:33-56. [PMID: 38175470 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42108-2_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Diagnosis of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) can be challenging. First of all, there has been debate on which of the two reference assays, cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCNA) or toxigenic culture (TC), should be considered the gold standard for CDI detection. Although the CCNA suffers most from suboptimal storage conditions and subsequent toxin degradation, TC is reported to falsely increase CDI detection rates as it cannot differentiate CDI patients from patients asymptomatically colonised by toxigenic C. difficile. Several rapid assays are available for CDI detection and fall into three broad categories: (1) enzyme immunoassays for glutamate dehydrogenase, (2) enzyme immunoassays or single-molecule array assays for toxins A/B and (3) nucleic acid amplification tests detecting toxin genes. All three categories have their own limitations, being suboptimal specificity and/or sensitivity or the inability to discern colonised patients from CDI patients. In light of these limitations, multi-step algorithmic testing has been advocated by international guidelines (IDSA/SHEA and ESCMID) in order to optimize diagnostic accuracy. As a result, a survey performed in 2018-2019 in Europe revealed that most of all hospital sites reported using more than one test to diagnose CDI. CDI incidence rates are also influenced by sample selection criteria, as several studies have shown that if not all unformed stool samples are tested for CDI, many cases may be missed due to an absence of clinical suspicion. Since methods for diagnosing CDI remain imperfect, there has been a growing interest in alternative testing strategies like faecal microbiota biomarkers, immune modulating interleukins, cytokines and imaging methods. At the moment, these alternative methods might play an adjunctive role, but they are not suitable to replace conventional CDI testing strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joffrey van Prehn
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- ESCMID Study Group for C. difficile (ESGCD) and Study Group for Host and Microbiota Interaction (ESGHAMI), Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Monique J T Crobach
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Amoe Baktash
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nikolas Duszenko
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ed J Kuijper
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- ESCMID Study Group for C. difficile (ESGCD) and Study Group for Host and Microbiota Interaction (ESGHAMI), Basel, Switzerland
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4
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Newman KL, Higgins PDR. Fecal calprotectin level is nonlinearly associated with GI pathogen detection in patients with and without inflammatory bowel disease. J Clin Microbiol 2023; 61:e0094623. [PMID: 38038481 PMCID: PMC10729747 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00946-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Fecal calprotectin (FCP) is used to monitor inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity and can also be elevated in gastrointestinal infections. Our study's objective was to quantify the relationship between FCP levels and lab-confirmed infections in people with and without IBD. We performed a cross-sectional study at a tertiary-care center of all encounters during which FCP and gastrointestinal pathogen polymerase-chain reaction (GI PCR) panel testings were conducted. Using non-parametric tests and quantile regression, we compared the FCP levels by IBD status and pathogen detection. There were 3,347 encounters with FCP and GI PCR testings from 2,780 unique individuals between 1 August 2016 and 17 February 2022. Overall, 54.4% had IBD (n = 1,819). Pathogens were detected in 744 encounters (22.2%), and the detection rate did not differ by IBD status. Median FCP without IBD was significantly elevated when a pathogen was detected (64 vs 41 mg/kg, P = 0.0003, normal ≤50.0 mg/kg), but FCP with IBD was not significantly elevated when a pathogen was detected (299 vs 255 mg/kg, P = 0.207). In quantile regression adjusted for age and IBD, pathogen detection was only significantly associated with higher FCP in the lower two quartiles, though IBD remained significantly associated with higher FCP at all levels (P > 0.001). Pathogen detection by GI PCR is associated with elevated FCP, though this relationship is nonlinear and varies by IBD status. Our findings indicate that FCP may be an adjunct to, but not a substitute for, stool pathogen testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira L. Newman
- Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Gilboa M, Baharav N, Melzer E, Regev-Yochay G, Yahav D. Screening for Asymptomatic Clostridioides difficile Carriage Among Hospitalized Patients: A Narrative Review. Infect Dis Ther 2023; 12:2223-2240. [PMID: 37704801 PMCID: PMC10581986 DOI: 10.1007/s40121-023-00856-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has become the most common healthcare-associated infection in the United States, with considerable morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Assessing new preventive strategies is vital. We present a literature review of studies evaluating a strategy of screening and isolation of asymptomatic carriers in hospital settings. Asymptomatic detection of C. difficile is reported in ~ 10-20% of admitted patients. Risk factors for carriage include recent hospitalization, previous antibiotics, older age, lower functional capacity, immunosuppression, and others. Asymptomatic C. difficile carriers of toxigenic strains are at higher risk for progression to CDI. They are also shedders of C. difficile spores and may contribute to the persistence and transmission of this bacterium. Screening for asymptomatic carriers at hospital admission can theoretically reduce CDI by isolating carriers to reduce transmission, and implementing antibiotic stewardship measures targeting carriers to prevent progression to clinical illness. Several observational studies, summarized in this review, have reported implementing screening and isolation strategies, and found a reduction in CDI rates. Nevertheless, the data are still limited to a few observational studies, and this strategy is not commonly practiced. Studies supporting screening were performed in North America, coinciding with the period of dominance of the 027/BI/NAP1 strain. Additional studies evaluating screening, followed by infection control and antibiotic stewardship measures, are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayan Gilboa
- Infection Prevention Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
| | - Nadav Baharav
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Eyal Melzer
- Infection Prevention Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Gili Regev-Yochay
- Infection Prevention Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Dafna Yahav
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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de-la-Rosa-Martinez D, Bobadilla Del Valle M, Esteban-Kenel V, Zinser Peniche P, Ponce De León Garduño A, Cornejo Juárez P, Sánchez Cruz MN, Camacho-Ortiz A, Vilar-Compte D. Molecular characterization and genotyping of isolates from cancer patients with Clostridioides difficile infection or asymptomatic colonization. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 37624363 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Cancer patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) are at a higher risk for adverse outcomes. In addition, a high prevalence of Clostridioides difficile asymptomatic colonization (CDAC) has been reported in this vulnerable population.Gap Statement. The molecular characteristics and potential role of CDAC in healthcare-related transmission in the cancer population have been poorly explored.Aim. We aimed to compare the molecular and genotypic characteristics of C. difficile isolates from cancer patients with CDAC and CDI.Method. We conducted a prospective cohort study of cancer patients with CDAC or CDI from a referral centre. Molecular characterization, typification and tcdC gene expression of isolates were performed.Results. The hospital-onset and community-onset healthcare facility-associated CDI rates were 4.5 cases/10 000 patient-days and 1.4 cases/1 000 admissions during the study period. Fifty-one C. difficile strains were isolated: 37 (72 %) and 14 (28 %) from patients with CDI or CDAC, respectively. All isolates from symptomatic patients were tcdA+/tcdB+, and four (10 %) were ctdA+/ctdB+. In the CDAC group, 10 (71 %) isolates were toxigenic, and none were ctdA+/ctdB+. The Δ18 in-frame tcdC deletion and two transition mutations were found in five isolates. After bacterial typing, 60 % of toxigenic isolates from asymptomatic carriers were clonal to those from patients with C. difficile-associated diarrhoea. No NAP1/027/BI strains were detected.Conclusions. We found a clonal association between C. difficile isolates from patients with CDAC and CDI. Studies are needed to evaluate the potential role of asymptomatic carriers in the dynamics of nosocomial transmission to support infection control measures and reduce the burden of CDI in high-risk groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel de-la-Rosa-Martinez
- Plan de Estudios Combinados en Medicina (PECEM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, México City, Mexico
- Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Miriam Bobadilla Del Valle
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Veronica Esteban-Kenel
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paola Zinser Peniche
- Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Ponce De León Garduño
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - María Nancy Sánchez Cruz
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Adrian Camacho-Ortiz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario Dr. Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
| | - Diana Vilar-Compte
- Departament of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
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Madden GR, Rigo I, Boone R, Abhyankar MM, Young MK, Basener W, Petri WA. Novel Biomarkers, Including tcdB PCR Cycle Threshold, for Predicting Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0009223. [PMID: 36975808 PMCID: PMC10112139 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00092-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional clinical models for predicting recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection do not perform well, likely owing to the complex host-pathogen interactions involved. Accurate risk stratification using novel biomarkers could help prevent recurrence by improving underutilization of effective therapies (i.e., fecal transplant, fidaxomicin, bezlotoxumab). We used a biorepository of 257 hospitalized patients with 24 features collected at diagnosis, including 17 plasma cytokines, total/neutralizing anti-toxin B IgG, stool toxins, and PCR cycle threshold (CT) (a proxy for stool organism burden). The best set of predictors for recurrent infection was selected by Bayesian model averaging for inclusion in a final Bayesian logistic regression model. We then used a large PCR-only data set to confirm the finding that PCR CT predicts recurrence-free survival using Cox proportional hazards regression. The top model-averaged features were (probabilities of >0.05, greatest to least): interleukin 6 (IL-6), PCR CT, endothelial growth factor, IL-8, eotaxin, IL-10, hepatocyte growth factor, and IL-4. The accuracy of the final model was 0.88. Among 1,660 cases with PCR-only data, cycle threshold was significantly associated with recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.95; P < 0.005). Certain biomarkers associated with C. difficile infection severity were especially important for predicting recurrence; PCR CT and markers of type 2 immunity (endothelial growth factor [EGF], eotaxin) emerged as positive predictors of recurrence, while type 17 immune markers (IL-6, IL-8) were negative predictors. In addition to novel serum biomarkers (particularly, IL-6, EGF, and IL-8), the readily available PCR CT may be critical to augment underperforming clinical models for C. difficile recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory R. Madden
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Isaura Rigo
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Rachel Boone
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mayuresh M. Abhyankar
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mary K. Young
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - William Basener
- School of Data Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - William A. Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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Raeisi H, Azimirad M, Asadzadeh Aghdaei H, Yadegar A, Zali MR. Rapid-format recombinant antibody-based methods for the diagnosis of Clostridioides difficile infection: Recent advances and perspectives. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1043214. [PMID: 36523835 PMCID: PMC9744969 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1043214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 08/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, the most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea, has been continuously reported as a worldwide problem in healthcare settings. Additionally, the emergence of hypervirulent strains of C. difficile has always been a critical concern and led to continuous efforts to develop more accurate diagnostic methods for detection of this recalcitrant pathogen. Currently, the diagnosis of C. difficile infection (CDI) is based on clinical manifestations and laboratory tests for detecting the bacterium and/or its toxins, which exhibit varied sensitivity and specificity. In this regard, development of rapid diagnostic techniques based on antibodies has demonstrated promising results in both research and clinical environments. Recently, application of recombinant antibody (rAb) technologies like phage display has provided a faster and more cost-effective approach for antibody production. The application of rAbs for developing ultrasensitive diagnostic tools ranging from immunoassays to immunosensors, has allowed the researchers to introduce new platforms with high sensitivity and specificity. Additionally, DNA encoding antibodies are directly accessible in these approaches, which enables the application of antibody engineering to increase their sensitivity and specificity. Here, we review the latest studies about the antibody-based ultrasensitive diagnostic platforms for detection of C. difficile bacteria, with an emphasis on rAb technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamideh Raeisi
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Azimirad
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Asadzadeh Aghdaei
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Yadegar
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Zali
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Cao Y, Wang L, Ke S, Kelly CP, Pollock NR, Villafuerte Gálvez JA, Daugherty K, Xu H, Yao J, Chen Y, Liu YY, Chen X. Analysis of Intestinal Mycobiota of Patients with Clostridioides difficile Infection among a Prospective Inpatient Cohort. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0136222. [PMID: 35867408 PMCID: PMC9430669 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01362-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a burden to health care systems worldwide. Gut microbiota dysbiosis associated with CDI has been well accepted. However, contribution of fungal mycobiota to CDI has recently gained research interest. Here, we report the gut mycobiota composition of 149 uniquely well characterized participants from a prospective clinical cohort and evaluate the discriminating ability of gut mycobiota to classify CDI and non-CDI patients. Fecal samples were divided into two groups: (i) CDI (inpatients who had clinically significant diarrhea and positive nucleic acid amplification testing [NAAT] and received subsequent CDI therapy, n = 58) and (ii) non-CDI, which can be further divided into three subgroups: (a) carrier (inpatients with positive stool NAAT but without diarrhea; n = 28); (b) diarrhea (inpatients with negative stool NAAT; n = 31); and (c) control (inpatients with negative stool NAAT and without diarrhea; n = 32). Fecal mycobiota composition was analyzed by internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequencing. In comparison to non-CDI patients, CDI patients tend to have gut mycobiota with lower biodiversity, weaker fungi correlations, and weaker correlations between fungi and host immune factors. Notably, 11 genera (Saccharomyces, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cystobasidium, Cladosporium, and so on) were significantly enriched in non-CDI patients, and Pichia and Suhomyces were enriched in patients with CDI, while 1 two genera, Cystobasidium and Exophiala, had higher abundance in patients with diarrhea compared with CDI (linear discriminant analysis [LDA] > 3.0; P < 0.05). Ascomycota and Basidiomycota (or Candida and Saccharomyces) exhibited a strong negative correlation (r ≤ -0.714 or r ≤ -0.387; P < 0.05), and the ratios of Ascomycota to Basidiomycota or genera Candida to Saccharomyces were dramatically higher in CDI patients than in non-CDI patients (P < 0.05). A disease-specific pattern with much weaker fungal abundance correlations was observed in the CDI group compared to that in the non-CDI and diarrhea groups, suggesting that these correlations may contribute to the development of CDI. Our findings provided specific markers of stool fungi that distinguish CDI from all non-CDI hospitalized patients. This study's potential clinical utility for better CDI diagnosis warrants further investigation. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that causes a serious and potentially life-threatening infection of the human gut. It remains an existing challenge to distinguish active infection of CDI from diarrhea with non-CDI causes. A few large prospective studies from recent years suggest that there is no single optimal test for the diagnosis of CDI. Previous research has concentrated on the relationship between bacteria and CDI, while the roles of fungi, as a significant proportion of the gut microbial ecosystem, remain understudied. In this study, we report a series of fungal markers that may add diagnostic values for the development of a more systematic approach to accurate CDI diagnosis. These results help open the door for better understanding of the relationship between host immune factors and the fungal community in the context of CDI pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangchun Cao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lamei Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shanlin Ke
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ciarán P. Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nira R. Pollock
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Javier A. Villafuerte Gálvez
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Daugherty
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hua Xu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Junhu Yao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yulin Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yang-Yu Liu
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Ke S, Pollock NR, Wang XW, Chen X, Daugherty K, Lin Q, Xu H, Garey KW, Gonzales-Luna AJ, Kelly CP, Liu YY. Integrating gut microbiome and host immune markers to understand the pathogenesis of Clostridioides difficile infection. Gut Microbes 2021; 13:1-18. [PMID: 34132169 PMCID: PMC8210874 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1935186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (C.difficile) infection is the most common cause of healthcare-associated infection and an important cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. A comprehensive understanding of C.difficile infection (CDI) pathogenesis is crucial for disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Here, we characterized gut microbial compositions and a broad panel of innate and adaptive immunological markers in 243 well-characterized human subjects (including 187 subjects with both microbiota and immune marker data), who were divided into four phenotype groups: CDI, Asymptomatic Carriage, Non-CDI Diarrhea, and Control. We found that the interactions between gut microbiota and host immune markers are very sensitive to the status of C.difficile colonization and infection. We demonstrated that incorporating both gut microbiome and host immune marker data into classification models can better distinguish CDI from other groups than can either type of data alone. Our classification models display robust diagnostic performance to differentiate CDI from Asymptomatic carriage (AUC~0.916), Non-CDI Diarrhea (AUC~0.917), or Non-CDI that combines all other three groups (AUC~0.929). Finally, we performed symbolic classification using selected features to derive simple mathematic formulas that explicitly quantify the interactions between the gut microbiome and host immune markers. These findings support the potential roles of gut microbiota and host immune markers in the pathogenesis of CDI. Our study provides new insights for a microbiome-immune marker-derived signature to diagnose CDI and design therapeutic strategies for CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanlin Ke
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MassachusettsUSA,School of Animal Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University 330045, China
| | - Nira R. Pollock
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xu-Wen Wang
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MassachusettsUSA
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Daugherty
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qianyun Lin
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hua Xu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin W. Garey
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translation Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Anne J. Gonzales-Luna
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translation Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ciarán P. Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Ciarán P. Kelly Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MassachusettsUSA
| | - Yang-Yu Liu
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MassachusettsUSA,CONTACT Yang-Yu Liu Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MassachusettsUSA
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11
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Absence of Toxemia in Clostridioides difficile Infection: Results from Ultrasensitive Toxin Assay of Serum. Dig Dis Sci 2021; 66:3303-3306. [PMID: 33164145 PMCID: PMC8105423 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-020-06683-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is caused by Toxins A and B, secreted from pathogenic strains of C. difficle. This infection can vary greatly in symptom severity and in clinical presentation. Current assays used to diagnose CDI may lack the required sensitivity to detect the exotoxins circulating in blood. The ultrasensitive single molecule array (Simoa) assay was modified to separately detect toxin A and toxin B in serum with a limit of detection at the low picogram level. When applied to a diverse cohort, Simoa was unable to detect toxins A or B in serum from patients with CDI, including many classified as having severe disease. The detection of toxin may be limited by the inference of antitoxin antibodies circulating in serum. This result does not support the hypothesis that toxemia occurs in C. difficile infection, conflicting with the findings of other published reports.
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12
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High Serum Levels of Toxin A Correlate with Disease Severity in Patients with Clostridioides difficile Infection. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10091093. [PMID: 34572675 PMCID: PMC8470527 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10091093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cloistridioides difficile (CD) represents a major public healthcare-associated infection causing significant morbidity and mortality. The pathogenic effects of CD are mainly caused by the release of two exotoxins into the intestine: toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB). CD infection (CDI) can also cause toxemia, explaining the systemic complications of life-threatening cases. Currently, there is a lack of sensitive assays to detect exotoxins circulating in the blood. Here, we report a new semi-quantitative diagnostic method to measure CD toxins serum levels. The dot-blot assay was modified to separately detect TcdA and TcdB in human serum with a limit of detection at the pg/mL levels. TcdA and TcdB concentrations in the plasma of 35 CDI patients were measured at the time of CDI diagnosis and at the fourth and tenth day after CDI diagnosis and initiation of anti-CDI treatment. TcdA and TcdB levels were compared to those determined in nine healthy blood donors. Toxemia was detected in the plasma of 33 out of the 35 CDI cases. We also assessed the relationship between TcdA serum levels and CDI severity, reporting that at the time of CDI diagnosis the proportion of severe CDI cases with a TcdA serum level > 60 pg/µL was higher than in mild CDI cases (29.4% versus 66.6%, p = 0.04). In conclusion, data reported here demonstrate for the first time that toxemia is much more frequent than expected in CDI patients, and specifically that high serum levels of TcdA correlate with disease severity in patients with CDI.
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13
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Cao Y, Wang L, Ke S, Gálvez JAV, Pollock NR, Barret C, Sprague R, Daugherty K, Xu H, Lin Q, Yao J, Chen Y, Kelly CP, Liu YY, Chen X. Fecal Mycobiota Combined With Host Immune Factors Distinguish Clostridioides difficile Infection From Asymptomatic Carriage. Gastroenterology 2021; 160:2328-2339.e6. [PMID: 33684427 PMCID: PMC8169571 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.02.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Although the role of gut microbiota in Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has been well established, little is known about the role of mycobiota in CDI. Here, we performed mycobiome data analysis in a well-characterized human cohort to evaluate the potential of using gut mycobiota features for CDI diagnosis. METHODS Stool samples were collected from 118 hospital patients, divided into 3 groups: CDI (n = 58), asymptomatic carriers (Carrier, n = 28), and Control (n = 32). The nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 2 was sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq platform to assess the fungal composition. Downstream statistical analyses (including Alpha diversity analysis, ordination analysis, differential abundance analysis, fungal correlation network analysis, and classification analysis) were then performed. RESULTS Significant differences were observed in alpha and beta diversity between patients with CDI and Carrier (P < .05). Differential abundance analysis identified 2 genera (Cladosporium and Aspergillus) enriched in Carrier. The ratio of Ascomycota to Basidiomycota was dramatically higher in patients with CDI than in Carrier and Control (P < .05). Correlations between host immune factors and mycobiota features were weaker in patients with CDI than in Carrier. Using 4 fungal operational taxonomic units combined with 6 host immune markers in the random forest classifier can achieve very high performance (area under the curve ∼92.38%) in distinguishing patients with CDI from Carrier. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides specific markers of stool fungi combined with host immune factors to distinguish patients with CDI from Carrier. It highlights the importance of gut mycobiome in CDI, which may have been underestimated. Further studies on the diagnostic applications and therapeutic potentials of these findings are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangchun Cao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lamei Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shanlin Ke
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Javier A. Villafuerte Gálvez
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nira R. Pollock
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Caitlin Barret
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca Sprague
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Daugherty
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hua Xu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qianyun Lin
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Junhu Yao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yulin Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Ciaran P. Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yang-Yu Liu
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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14
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Alonso CD, Papamichael K, Sprague R, Barrett C, Gonzales-Luna AJ, Daugherty K, Garey KW, Villafuerte-Gálvez J, Xu H, Lin Q, Wang L, Chen X, Pollock NR, Kelly CP. Humoral Immune Response to Clostridioides difficile Toxins A and B in Hospitalized Immunocompromised Patients With C difficile Infection. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab286. [PMID: 34258317 PMCID: PMC8271131 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The humoral immune response to Clostridioides difficile toxins in C difficile infection (CDI) is incompletely characterized in immunocompromised hosts (ICHs). Methods We conducted a prospective study of hospitalized adults with CDI, with and without immunosuppression (hematologic malignancy, active solid tumor, solid organ or stem cell transplant, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disease, congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, asplenia, chronic receipt of high-dose steroids, or receipt of immunosuppressing medications within 12 months). Serum and stool antibody concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig)M, IgG, and IgA to C difficile toxins A and B at treatment days 0, 3, and 10–14 were compared. Results Ninety-eight subjects (47 ICH; 51 non-ICH) were enrolled. Baseline serum antitoxin A and B antibody levels were similar. At day 3, ICHs demonstrated lower serum levels of antitoxin A IgG, antitoxin A IgA, and antitoxin B IgA (all P < .05). At day 10–14, lower antitoxin A IgG concentrations were observed in ICHs (ICH, 21 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] units; interquartile range [IQR], 16.4–44.6) compared with non-ICH subjects (49.0 ELISA units; IQR, 21.5–103; P = .045). In stool, we observed lower concentrations of antitoxin B IgA antibodies at baseline and at day 3 for ICH subjects, with a notable difference in concentrations of antitoxin B IgA at day 3 (ICH, 6.7 ELISA units [IQR, 1.9–13.9] compared with non-ICH, 18.1 ELISA units [IQR, 4.9–31.7]; P = .003). Conclusions The ICHs with CDI demonstrated lower levels of C difficile antitoxin antibodies in serum and stool during early CDI therapy compared with non-ICHs. These data provide insight into the humoral response to CDI in ICHs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn D Alonso
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Konstantinos Papamichael
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca Sprague
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Caitlin Barrett
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anne J Gonzales-Luna
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Daugherty
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin W Garey
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Javier Villafuerte-Gálvez
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hua Xu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qianyun Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lamei Wang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nira R Pollock
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ciarán P Kelly
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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15
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White NC, Mendo-Lopez R, Papamichael K, Cuddemi CA, Barrett C, Daugherty K, Pollock N, Kelly CP, Alonso CD. Laxative Use Does Not Preclude Diagnosis or Reduce Disease Severity in Clostridiodes difficile Infection. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 71:1472-1478. [PMID: 31584632 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To optimize utility of laboratory testing for Clostridiodes difficile infection (CDI), the 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America-Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (IDSA-SHEA) clinical practice guidelines recommend excluding patients from stool testing for C. difficile if they have received laxatives within the preceding 48 hours. Sparse data support this recommendation. METHODS Patients with new-onset diarrhea (≥3 bowel movements in any 24-hour period in the 48 hours before stool collection) and a positive stool C. difficile nucleic acid amplification test were enrolled. Laxative use within 48 hours before stool testing, severity of illness (defined by 4 distinct scoring methods), and clinical outcomes were recorded. RESULTS 209 patients with CDI were studied, 65 of whom had received laxatives. There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients meeting severe CDI criteria by 4 severity scoring methods in patients receiving versus not receiving laxatives (66.2% vs 56.3%, respectively; P = .224) by IDSA-SHEA, the primary scoring system. Similar rates of serious outcomes attributable to CDI, including death, intensive care unit admission, and colectomy, were observed in the laxative and no laxative groups. CONCLUSIONS Our study found similar rates of severe CDI and serious CDI-attributable clinical outcomes in CDI-diagnosed patients who did or did not receive laxatives. Precluding recent laxative users from CDI testing, as proposed by the IDSA-SHEA guideline, carries a potential for harm due to delayed diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C White
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rafael Mendo-Lopez
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Konstantinos Papamichael
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christine A Cuddemi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Caitlin Barrett
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Daugherty
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nira Pollock
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ciaran P Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Carolyn D Alonso
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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Schweitzer L, Gervais P, Paquet-Bolduc B, Loo VG, Longtin Y. Detection of Free Toxin B in the Stool of Asymptomatic Clostridioides difficile Carriers by the Cell Cytotoxicity Neutralization Assay. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab209. [PMID: 34113687 PMCID: PMC8186239 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCNA) is considered to be a gold standard to diagnose Clostridioides difficile infections. We performed CCNA on 77 consecutive admission screening rectal swabs from asymptomatic toxigenic C. difficile carriers. Thirty-nine percent of specimens from asymptomatic carriers were positive. Thus, CCNA specificity may be lower than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorne Schweitzer
- McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Phillippe Gervais
- Département de Microbiologie, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et Pneumologie de Québec, Québec City, Québec, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Bianka Paquet-Bolduc
- Département de Microbiologie, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et Pneumologie de Québec, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Vivian G Loo
- McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yves Longtin
- McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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17
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Parnell JM, Fazili I, Bloch SC, Lacy DB, Garcia-Lopez VA, Bernard R, Skaar EP, Edwards KM, Nicholson MR. Two-step Testing for Clostridioides Difficile is Inadequate in Differentiating Infection From Colonization in Children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2021; 72:378-383. [PMID: 32925555 PMCID: PMC7870537 DOI: 10.1097/mpg.0000000000002944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Recent Infectious Disease Society of America guidelines recommend multistep testing algorithms to diagnose Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), including a combination of nucleic acid amplification-based testing (NAAT) and toxin enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The use of these algorithms in children, including the ability to differentiate between C. difficile colonization and CDI, however, has not been evaluated. METHODS We prospectively enrolled asymptomatic pediatric patients with cancer, cystic fibrosis (CF), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and obtained a stool sample for NAAT testing. If positive by NAAT (colonized), EIA was performed. In addition, children with symptomatic CDI who tested positive by NAAT via the clinical laboratory were enrolled, and EIA was performed on residual stool. A functional cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCNA) was also applied to stool samples from both the colonized and symptomatic cohorts. RESULTS Of the 225 asymptomatic children enrolled in the study, 47 (21%) were colonized with C. difficile including 9/59 (15.5%) with cancer, 30/92 (32.6%) with CF, and 8/74 (10.8%) with IBD. An additional 41 children with symptomatic CDI were enrolled. When symptomatic and colonized children were compared, neither EIA positivity (44% vs 26%, P = 0.07) nor CCNA positivity (49% vs 45%, P = 0.70) differed significantly or were able to predict disease severity in the symptomatic cohort. CONCLUSIONS Use of a multistep testing algorithm with NAAT followed by EIA failed to differentiate symptomatic CDI from asymptomatic colonization in our pediatric cohort. As multistep algorithms are moved into clinical care, the pediatric provider will need to be aware of their limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M. Parnell
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Irtiqa Fazili
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Sarah C. Bloch
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - D. Borden Lacy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Valeria A. Garcia-Lopez
- Vanderbilt Institute of Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville TN
| | - Rachel Bernard
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Eric P. Skaar
- Vanderbilt Institute of Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville TN
| | - Kathryn M. Edwards
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville TN
| | - Maribeth R. Nicholson
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
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18
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Kampouri E, Croxatto A, Prod’hom G, Guery B. Clostridioides difficile Infection, Still a Long Way to Go. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10030389. [PMID: 33498428 PMCID: PMC7864166 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10030389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is an increasingly common pathogen both within and outside the hospital and is responsible for a large clinical spectrum from asymptomatic carriage to complicated infection associated with a high mortality. While diagnostic methods have considerably progressed over the years, the optimal diagnostic algorithm is still debated and there is no single diagnostic test that can be used as a standalone test. More importantly, the heterogeneity in diagnostic practices between centers along with the lack of robust surveillance systems in all countries and an important degree of underdiagnosis due to lack of clinical suspicion in the community, hinder a more accurate evaluation of the burden of disease. Our improved understanding of the physiopathology of CDI has allowed some significant progress in the treatment of CDI, including a broader use of fidaxomicine, the use of fecal microbiota transplantation for multiples recurrences and newer approaches including antibodies, vaccines and new molecules, already developed or in the pipeline. However, the management of CDI recurrences and severe infections remain challenging and the main question remains: how to best target these often expensive treatments to the right population. In this review we discuss current diagnostic approaches, treatment and potential prevention strategies, with a special focus on recent advances in the field as well as areas of uncertainty and unmet needs and how to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftheria Kampouri
- Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Antony Croxatto
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Medical Laboratory and Pathology, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (A.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Guy Prod’hom
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Medical Laboratory and Pathology, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (A.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Benoit Guery
- Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-21-314-1643
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19
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Lin Q, Pollock NR, Banz A, Lantz A, Xu H, Gu L, Gerding DN, Garey KW, Gonzales-Luna AJ, Zhao M, Song L, Duffy DC, Kelly CP, Chen X. Toxin A-Predominant Pathogenic Clostridioides difficile: A Novel Clinical Phenotype. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 70:2628-2633. [PMID: 31400280 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most Clostridioides difficile toxinogenic strains produce both toxins A and B (A+B+), but toxin A-negative, toxin B-positive (A-B+) variants also cause disease. We report the identification of a series of pathogenic clinical C. difficile isolates that produce high amounts of toxin A with low or nondetectable toxin B. METHODS An ultrasensitive, quantitative immunoassay was used to measure toxins A and B in stool samples from 187 C. difficile infection (CDI) patients and 44 carriers. Isolates were cultured and assessed for in vitro toxin production and in vivo phenotypes (mouse CDI model). RESULTS There were 7 CDI patients and 6 carriers who had stools with detectable toxin A (TcdA, range 23-17 422 pg/mL; 5.6% of samples overall) but toxin B (TcdB) below the clinical detection limit (<20 pg/mL; median TcdA:B ratio 17.93). Concentrations of toxin A far exceeded B in in vitro cultures of all 12 recovered isolates (median TcdA:B ratio 26). Of 8 toxin A>>B isolates tested in mice, 4 caused diarrhea, and 3 of those 4 caused lethal disease. Ribotyping demonstrated strain diversity. TcdA-predominant samples were also identified at 2 other centers, with similar frequencies (7.5% and 6.8%). CONCLUSIONS We report the discovery of clinical pathogenic C. difficile strains that produce high levels of toxin A but minimal or no toxin B. This pattern of toxin production is not rare (>5% of isolates) and is consistently observed in vitro and in vivo in humans and mice. Our study highlights the significance of toxin A in human CDI pathogenesis and has important implications for CDI diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyun Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Divisions of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts
| | - Nira R Pollock
- Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Hua Xu
- Divisions of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts
| | - Limei Gu
- Divisions of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts
| | - Dale N Gerding
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines Jr Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, Illinois
| | - Kevin W Garey
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | - Anne J Gonzales-Luna
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas
| | | | | | | | | | - Xinhua Chen
- Divisions of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts
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20
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Kelly CP, Chen X, Williams D, Xu H, Cuddemi CA, Daugherty K, Barrett C, Miller M, Foussadier A, Lantz A, Banz A, Pollock NR. Host Immune Markers Distinguish Clostridioides difficile Infection From Asymptomatic Carriage and Non-C. difficile Diarrhea. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 70:1083-1093. [PMID: 31211839 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent data indicate that Clostridioides difficile toxin concentrations in stool do not differentiate between C. difficile infection (CDI) and asymptomatic carriage. Thus, we lack a method to distinguish a symptomatic patient with CDI from a colonized patient with diarrhea from another cause. To address this, we evaluated markers of innate and adaptive immunity in adult inpatients with CDI (diagnosed per US guidelines), asymptomatic carriage, or non-CDI diarrhea. METHODS CDI-NAAT patients had clinically significant diarrhea and positive nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) and received CDI treatment. Carrier-NAAT patients had positive stool NAAT but no diarrhea. NAAT-negative patients (with and without diarrhea) were also enrolled. A panel of cytokines and anti-toxin A and B immunoglobulin (Ig) were measured in serum; calprotectin and anti-toxin B Ig A/G were measured in stool. NAAT-positive stool samples were tested by an ultrasensitive toxin assay (clinical cutoff, 20 pg/mL). RESULTS Median values for interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF), MCP-1, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and IgG anti-toxin A in blood and IgA/G anti-toxin B in stool were significantly higher in CDI patients compared with all other groups (P < .05). Concentration distributions for IL-6, GCSF, TNF-α, and IgG anti-toxin A in blood, as well as IgA and IgG anti-toxin B in stool, separated CDI patients from all other groups. CONCLUSIONS Specific markers of innate and adaptive immunity distinguish CDI from all other groups, suggesting potential clinical utility for identifying which NAAT- and toxin-positive patients with diarrhea truly have CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran P Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts
| | - David Williams
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts
| | - Hua Xu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts
| | - Christine A Cuddemi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts
| | - Kaitlyn Daugherty
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts
| | - Caitlin Barrett
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | | | - Nira R Pollock
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts
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21
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Lyerly DM, Boone JH, Carman RJ, Tillotson GS. Clostridioides difficile Infection: The Challenge, Tests, and Guidelines. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:2818-2829. [PMID: 32960044 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a dangerous human pathogen because it can grow to high numbers in the intestine, cause colitis with its potent toxins, and persist as spores. C. difficile infection (CDI) is the primary hospital-acquired infection in North America and Europe, and it now is a global disease. Even with newer laboratory tests, there still is confusion on accurately diagnosing this disease. Three guidelines from three different healthcare-affiliated societies have recently been published. Consensus consolidated recommendations from these guidelines should be recognized by healthcare professionals, who need to understand why this disease continues to be difficult to diagnose and need a clear understanding of the advantages and limitations of current tests. Hopefully, these combined efforts will lead to an improvement in the recognition of this pathogen and a reduction in the suffering and economic loss caused by CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Lyerly
- TechLab, Inc., 2001 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - James H Boone
- TechLab, Inc., 2001 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Robert J Carman
- TechLab, Inc., 2001 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
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22
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Guh AY, Hatfield KM, Winston LG, Martin B, Johnston H, Brousseau G, Farley MM, Wilson L, Perlmutter R, Phipps EC, Dumyati GK, Nelson D, Hatwar T, Kainer MA, Paulick AL, Karlsson M, Gerding DN, McDonald LC. Toxin Enzyme Immunoassays Detect Clostridioides difficile Infection With Greater Severity and Higher Recurrence Rates. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 69:1667-1674. [PMID: 30615074 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few data suggest that Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) detected by toxin enzyme immunoassay (EIA) are more severe and have worse outcomes than those detected by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) only. We compared toxin- positive and NAAT-positive-only CDI across geographically diverse sites. METHODS A case was defined as a positive C. difficile test in a person ≥1 year old with no positive tests in the prior 8 weeks. Cases were detected during 2014-2015 by a testing algorithm (specimens initially tested by glutamate dehydrogenase and toxin EIA; if discordant results, specimens were reflexed to NAAT) and classified as toxin positive or NAAT positive only. Medical charts were reviewed. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare CDI-related complications, recurrence, and 30-day mortality between the 2 groups. RESULTS Of 4878 cases, 2160 (44.3%) were toxin positive and 2718 (55.7%) were NAAT positive only. More toxin-positive than NAAT-positive-only cases were aged ≥65 years (48.2% vs 38.0%; P < .0001), had ≥3 unformed stools for ≥1 day (43.9% vs 36.6%; P < .0001), and had white blood cell counts ≥15 000 cells/µL (31.4% vs 21.4%; P < .0001). In multivariable analysis, toxin positivity was associated with recurrence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.61-2.23), but not with CDI-related complications (aOR, 0.91; 95% CI, .67-1.23) or 30-day mortality (aOR, 0.95; 95% CI, .73-1.24). CONCLUSIONS Toxin-positive CDI is more severe, but there were no differences in adjusted CDI-related complication and mortality rates between toxin-positive and NAAT-positive-only CDI that were detected by an algorithm that utilized an initial glutamate dehydrogenase screening test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Y Guh
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Lisa G Winston
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
| | | | - Helen Johnston
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver
| | | | - Monica M Farley
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | | | - Erin C Phipps
- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.,New Mexico Emerging Infections Program, Albuquerque
| | - Ghinwa K Dumyati
- New York Emerging Infections Program and University of Rochester Medical Center, Nashville
| | - Deborah Nelson
- New York Emerging Infections Program and University of Rochester Medical Center, Nashville
| | - Trupti Hatwar
- New York Emerging Infections Program and University of Rochester Medical Center, Nashville
| | | | | | - Maria Karlsson
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Dale N Gerding
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood.,Edward Hines Jr Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, Illinois
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23
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Lenggenhager L, Zanella MC, Poncet A, Kaiser L, Schrenzel J. Discordant Clostridioides difficile diagnostic assay and treatment practice: a cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital, Geneva, Switzerland. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e036342. [PMID: 32928850 PMCID: PMC7488797 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the proportion of patients who received a treatment for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) among those presenting a discordant C. difficile diagnostic assay and to identify patient characteristics associated with the decision to treat CDI. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Monocentric study in a tertiary care hospital, Geneva, Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS Among 4562 adult patients tested for C. difficile between March 2017 and March 2019, 208 patients with discordant tests' results (positive nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT+)/negative enzyme immunoassay (EIA-)) were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Treatment for CDI. RESULTS CDI treatment was administered in 147 (71%) cases. In multivariate analysis, an abdominal CT scan with signs of colitis (OR 14.7; 95% CI 1.96 to 110.8) was the only factor associated with CDI treatment. CONCLUSIONS The proportion of NAAT+/EIA- patients who received treatment questions the contribution of the EIA for the detection of toxin A/B after NAAT to limit overtreatment. Additional studies are needed to investigate if other factors are associated with the decision to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauriane Lenggenhager
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneve, Switzerland
- University of Geneva Medical School, Geneve, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Céline Zanella
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneve, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Poncet
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneve, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Kaiser
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneve, Switzerland
- University of Geneva Medical School, Geneve, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Laboratory Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jacques Schrenzel
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneve, Switzerland
- University of Geneva Medical School, Geneve, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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24
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An ecological framework to understand the efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3329. [PMID: 32620839 PMCID: PMC7334230 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17180-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Human gut microbiota plays critical roles in physiology and disease. Our understanding of ecological principles that govern the dynamics and resilience of this highly complex ecosystem remains rudimentary. This knowledge gap becomes more problematic as new approaches to modifying this ecosystem, such as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), are being developed as therapeutic interventions. Here we present an ecological framework to understand the efficacy of FMT in treating conditions associated with a disrupted gut microbiota, using the recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection as a prototype disease. This framework predicts several key factors that determine the efficacy of FMT. Moreover, it offers an efficient algorithm for the rational design of personalized probiotic cocktails to decolonize pathogens. We analyze data from both preclinical mouse experiments and a clinical trial of FMT to validate our theoretical framework. The presented results significantly improve our understanding of the ecological principles of FMT and have a positive translational impact on the rational design of general microbiota-based therapeutics. Here, the authors present a theoretical framework based on community ecology and network science to investigate the efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation in conditions associated with a disrupted gut microbiota, using the recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection as a prototype disease.
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25
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Ultrasensitive Clostridioides difficile Toxin Testing for Higher Diagnostic Accuracy. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.01913-19. [PMID: 32269098 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01913-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently available diagnostic tests for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) lack specificity or sensitivity, which has led to guideline recommendations for multistep testing algorithms. Ultrasensitive assays for detection of C. difficile toxins provide measurements of disease-specific markers at very low concentrations. These assays may show improved accuracy compared to that of current testing methods and offer a potential standalone solution for CDI diagnosis, although large studies of clinical performance and accuracy are lacking.
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26
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Pettengill MA. Hindsight Is 2019-the Year in Clinical Microbiology. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 42:87-92. [PMID: 32461708 PMCID: PMC7241978 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinmicnews.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Much changed in clinical microbiology in 2019, and, like the organisms, we, as clinical microbiologists, are responsible to detect, characterize, and teach others about our discipline. Also, it is important for us to adapt to changes in the field. In this review, I highlight some of the papers, practices, and regulatory issues that defined 2019 for our field, from my perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Pettengill
- Thomas Jefferson University, Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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27
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Vandenberg O, Durand G, Hallin M, Diefenbach A, Gant V, Murray P, Kozlakidis Z, van Belkum A. Consolidation of Clinical Microbiology Laboratories and Introduction of Transformative Technologies. Clin Microbiol Rev 2020; 33:e00057-19. [PMID: 32102900 PMCID: PMC7048017 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00057-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical microbiology is experiencing revolutionary advances in the deployment of molecular, genome sequencing-based, and mass spectrometry-driven detection, identification, and characterization assays. Laboratory automation and the linkage of information systems for big(ger) data management, including artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, also are being introduced. The initial optimism associated with these developments has now entered a more reality-driven phase of reflection on the significant challenges, complexities, and health care benefits posed by these innovations. With this in mind, the ongoing process of clinical laboratory consolidation, covering large geographical regions, represents an opportunity for the efficient and cost-effective introduction of new laboratory technologies and improvements in translational research and development. This will further define and generate the mandatory infrastructure used in validation and implementation of newer high-throughput diagnostic approaches. Effective, structured access to large numbers of well-documented biobanked biological materials from networked laboratories will release countless opportunities for clinical and scientific infectious disease research and will generate positive health care impacts. We describe why consolidation of clinical microbiology laboratories will generate quality benefits for many, if not most, aspects of the services separate institutions already provided individually. We also define the important role of innovative and large-scale diagnostic platforms. Such platforms lend themselves particularly well to computational (AI)-driven genomics and bioinformatics applications. These and other diagnostic innovations will allow for better infectious disease detection, surveillance, and prevention with novel translational research and optimized (diagnostic) product and service development opportunities as key results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Vandenberg
- Innovation and Business Development Unit, LHUB-ULB, Groupement Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles (GHUB), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Géraldine Durand
- bioMérieux, Microbiology Research and Development, La Balme Les Grottes, France
| | - Marie Hallin
- Department of Microbiology, LHUB-ULB, Groupement Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles (GHUB), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Andreas Diefenbach
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Labor Berlin, Charité-Vivantes GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vanya Gant
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Murray
- BD Life Sciences Integrated Diagnostic Solutions, Scientific Affairs, Sparks, Maryland, USA
| | - Zisis Kozlakidis
- Laboratory Services and Biobank Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France
| | - Alex van Belkum
- bioMérieux, Open Innovation and Partnerships, La Balme Les Grottes, France
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28
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Boly FJ, Reske KA, Kwon JH. The Role of Diagnostic Stewardship in Clostridioides difficile Testing: Challenges and Opportunities. Curr Infect Dis Rep 2020; 22:7. [PMID: 33762897 PMCID: PMC7987129 DOI: 10.1007/s11908-020-0715-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Accurate and timely diagnosis of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is imperative to prevent C. difficile transmission and reduce morbidity and mortality due to CDI, but CDI laboratory diagnostics are complex. The purpose of this article is to review the role of laboratory tests in the diagnosis of CDI, and the role of diagnostic stewardship in optimization of C. difficile testing. RECENT FINDINGS Results from C. difficile diagnostic tests should be interpreted with an understanding of the strengths and limitations inherent in each testing approach. Use of highly sensitive molecular diagnostic tests without accounting for clinical signs and symptoms may lead to over-diagnosis of CDI and increased facility CDI rates. Current guidelines recommend a two-step, algorithmic approach for testing. Diagnostic stewardship interventions, such as education, order sets, order search menus, reflex orders, hard and soft stop alerts, electronic references, feedback and benchmarking, decision algorithms, and predictive analytics may help improve use of C. difficile laboratory tests and CDI diagnosis. The diagnostic stewardship approaches with the highest reported success rates include computerized clinical decision support (CCDS) interventions, face-to-face feedback, and real-time evaluations. SUMMARY CDI is a clinical diagnosis supported by laboratory findings. Together, clinical evaluation combined with diagnostic stewardship can optimize the accurate diagnosis of CDI.
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29
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Schwenk HT, Bio LL, Kruger JF, Banaei N. Clinical Impact of Clostridium difficile PCR Cycle Threshold-Predicted Toxin Reporting in Pediatric Patients. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2020; 9:44-50. [PMID: 30476169 DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piy117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reliance on tests that detect only the presence of toxigenic Clostridium difficile can result in overdiagnosis and overtreatment of C difficile infection (CDI). The C difficile polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle threshold (CT) can sensitively predict the presence of free C difficile toxins; however, the clinical application for this testing strategy remains unexplored. We evaluated the impact of dual PCR and toxin result reporting, as predicted by the CT, on CDI management and outcomes in children. METHODS Before the intervention, results for C difficile testing at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford were reported as PCR positive (PCR+) or negative (PCR-) according to the GeneXpert C diff Epi tcdB PCR assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, California). Beginning October 5, 2016, the presence of free toxins, as predicted by the CT, was reported also. The CDI treatment rates 1 year before and 18 months after implementation of toxin reporting were compared. Demographic and treatment-related data were collected, and patient outcomes were followed up 8 weeks later. RESULTS CDI treatment decreased 22% after the intervention (96% [preintervention] vs 74% [postintervention]; P < .001). During the postintervention period, there were 152 PCR+C difficile results, and 94 (62%) of them were toxin positive (toxin+) according to the CT. Of the 58 PCR+/toxin-negative (toxin-) results, 38 (66%) did not result in CDI treatment. Seven (18%) of the untreated PCR+/toxin- patients underwent repeat testing within 8 weeks, and 5 (13%) of them were subsequently PCR+/toxin+ and treated. No CDI-related complications were identified. CONCLUSIONS Addition of the CT-predicted C difficile toxin result to PCR reporting reduces the proportion of PCR+ children treated for CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayden T Schwenk
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Laura L Bio
- Department of Pharmacy, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, California
| | - Jenna F Kruger
- Center for Quality and Clinical Effectiveness, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, California
| | - Niaz Banaei
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California
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30
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High Agreement Between an Ultrasensitive Clostridioides difficile Toxin Assay and a C. difficile Laboratory Algorithm Utilizing GDH-and-Toxin Enzyme Immunoassays and Cytotoxin Testing. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.01629-19. [PMID: 31776192 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01629-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Singulex Clarity C. diff toxins A/B (Clarity) assay is an automated, ultrasensitive immunoassay for the detection of Clostridioides difficile toxins in stool. In this study, the performance of the Clarity assay was compared to that of a multistep algorithm using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for detection of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and toxins A and B arbitrated by a semiquantitative cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCNA). The performance of the assay was evaluated using 211 residual deidentified stool samples tested with a GDH-and-toxin EIA (C. Diff Quik Chek Complete; Techlab), with GDH-and-toxin discordant samples tested with CCNA. The stool samples were stored at -80°C before being tested with the Clarity assay. For samples discordant between Clarity and the standard-of-care algorithm, the samples were tested with PCR (Xpert C. difficile; Cepheid), and chart review was performed. The testing algorithm resulted in 34 GDH+/toxin+, 53 GDH-/toxin-, and 124 GDH+/toxin- samples, of which 39 were CCNA+ and 85 were CCNA- Clarity had 96.2% negative agreement with GDH-/toxin- samples, 100% positive agreement with GDH+/toxin+ samples, and 95.3% agreement with GDH+/toxin-/CCNA- samples. The Clarity result was invalid for one sample. Clarity agreed with 61.5% of GDH+/toxin-/CCNA+ samples, 90.0% of GDH+/toxin-/CCNA+ (high-positive) samples, and 31.6% of GDH+/toxin-/CCNA+ (low-positive) samples. The Singulex Clarity C. diff toxins A/B assay demonstrated high agreement with a testing algorithm utilizing a GDH-and-toxin EIA and CCNA. This novel automated assay may offer an accurate, stand-alone solution for C. difficile infection (CDI) diagnostics, and further prospective clinical studies are merited.
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31
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Hitchcock MM, Holubar M, Hogan CA, Tompkins LS, Banaei N. Dual Reporting of Clostridioides difficile PCR and Predicted Toxin Result Based on PCR Cycle Threshold Reduces Treatment of Toxin-Negative Patients without Increases in Adverse Outcomes. J Clin Microbiol 2019; 57:e01288-19. [PMID: 31511334 PMCID: PMC6812995 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01288-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid amplification tests are commonly used to diagnose Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Two-step testing with a toxin enzyme immunoassay is recommended to discriminate between infection and colonization but requires additional resources. Prior studies showed that PCR cycle threshold (CT ) can predict toxin positivity with high negative predictive value. Starting in October 2016, the predicted toxin result (CT-toxin) based on a validated cutoff was routinely reported at our facility. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of this reporting, all adult patients with positive GeneXpert PCR results from October 2016 through October 2017 underwent a chart review to measure the recurrence of or conversion to a CT-toxin+ result and 30-day all-cause mortality. There were 482 positive PCR tests in 430 unique patients, 282 CT-toxin+ and 200 CT-toxin- Patient characteristics were similar at testing, though CT-toxin+ patients had higher white blood cell (WBC) counts (12.5 × 103 versus 9.3 × 103 cells/μl; P = 0.001). All cases (n = 21) of fulminant CDI had a CT-toxin+ result. Index CT-toxin+ patients were significantly more likely to have a CT-toxin+ result within 90 days than CT-toxin- patients (17.4% [n = 49] versus 8.0% [n = 16], respectively; P = 0.003). Thirty-day all-cause mortality was higher in CT-toxin- patients (11.1% versus 6.8%; P = 0.1), though no deaths in CT-toxin- patients were directly attributable to CDI. Of the 200 CT-toxin- patients, 51.5% (n = 103) were treated for CDI. The rates of conversion to a CT-toxin+ result (8.8% versus 7.2%; P = 0.8) and all-cause mortality (8.8% versus 13.4%; P = 0.3) were similar between treated and untreated CT-toxin- patients, respectively. CT -based toxin prediction may identify patients at higher risk for CDI-related complications and reduce treatment among CT-toxin- patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M Hitchcock
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Marisa Holubar
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Catherine A Hogan
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Lucy S Tompkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Niaz Banaei
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, California, USA
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Ultrasensitive Detection of Clostridioides difficile Toxins in Stool by Use of Single-Molecule Counting Technology: Comparison with Detection of Free Toxin by Cell Culture Cytotoxicity Neutralization Assay. J Clin Microbiol 2019; 57:JCM.00719-19. [PMID: 31434724 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00719-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Laboratory tests for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) rely on the detection of free toxin or molecular detection of toxin genes. The Singulex Clarity C. diff toxins A/B assay is a rapid, automated, and ultrasensitive assay that detects C. difficile toxins A and B in stool. We compared CDI assays across two prospective multicenter studies to set a cutoff for the Clarity assay and to independently validate the performance compared with that of a cell culture cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCCNA). The cutoff was set by two sites testing fresh samples from 897 subjects with suspected CDI and then validated at four sites testing fresh samples from 1,005 subjects with suspected CDI. CCCNA testing was performed at a centralized laboratory. Samples with discrepant results between the Clarity assay and CCCNA were retested with CCCNA when the Clarity result agreed with that of at least one comparator method; toxin enzyme immunoassays (EIA), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) detection, and PCR were performed on all samples. The cutoff for the Clarity assay was set at 12.0 pg/ml. Compared to results with CCCNA, the Clarity assay initially had 85.2% positive agreement and 92.4% negative agreement. However, when samples with discrepant results between the Clarity assay and CCCNA in the validation study were retested by CCCNA, 13/17 (76.5%) Clarity-negative but CCCNA-positive samples (Clarity+/CCCNA-) became CCCNA-, and 5/26 (19.2%) Clarity+/CCCNA- samples became CCCNA+, resulting in a 96.3% positive agreement and 93.0% negative agreement between Clarity and CCCNA results. The toxin EIA had 59.8% positive agreement with CCCNA. The Clarity assay was the most sensitive free-toxin immunoassay, capable of providing CDI diagnosis in a single-step solution. A different CCCNA result was reported for 42% of retested samples, increasing the positive agreement between Clarity and CCCNA from 85.2% to 96.3% and indicating the challenges of comparing free-toxin results to CCCNA results as a reference standard.
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Increased Clinical Specificity with Ultrasensitive Detection of Clostridioides difficile Toxins: Reduction of Overdiagnosis Compared to Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests. J Clin Microbiol 2019; 57:JCM.00945-19. [PMID: 31434726 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00945-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common health care-associated infections, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. Diagnosis of CDI relies on the assessment of clinical presentation and laboratory tests. We evaluated the clinical performance of ultrasensitive single-molecule counting technology for detection of C. difficile toxins A and B. Stool specimens from 298 patients with suspected CDI were tested with the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT; BD MAX Cdiff assay or Xpert C. difficile assay) and Singulex Clarity C. diff toxins A/B assay. Specimens with discordant results were tested with the cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCNA), and the results were correlated with disease severity and outcome. There were 64 NAAT-positive and 234 NAAT-negative samples. Of the 32 NAAT+/Clarity- and 4 NAAT-/Clarity+ samples, there were 26 CCNA- and 4 CCNA- samples, respectively. CDI relapse was more common in NAAT+/toxin+ patients than in NAAT+/toxin- and NAAT-/toxin- patients. The clinical specificity of Clarity and NAAT was 97.4% and 89.0%, respectively, and overdiagnosis was more than three times more common in NAAT+/toxin- than in NAAT+/toxin+ patients. The Clarity assay was superior to NAATs for the diagnosis of CDI, by reducing overdiagnosis and thereby increasing clinical specificity, and the presence of toxins was associated with negative patient outcomes.
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34
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Guidelines Support the Value of Stand-Alone Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for
Clostridioides
(
Clostridium
)
difficile
Infection. J Clin Microbiol 2019; 57:57/10/e01079-19. [DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01079-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium) is a major cause of healthcare associated diarrhea, and is increasingly present in the community. Historically, C difficile infection was considered easy to diagnose and treat. Over the past two decades, however, diagnostic techniques have changed in line with a greater understanding of the physiopathology of C difficile infection and the use of new therapeutic molecules. The evolution of diagnosis showed there was an important under- and misdiagnosis of C difficile infection, emphasizing the importance of algorithms recommended by European and North American infectious diseases societies to obtain a reliable diagnosis. Previously, metronidazole was considered the reference drug to treat C difficile infection, but more recently vancomycin and other newer drugs are shown to have higher cure rates. Recurrence of infection represents a key parameter in the evaluation of new drugs, and the challenge is to target the right population with the adapted therapeutic molecule. In multiple recurrences, fecal microbiota transplantation is recommended. New approaches, including antibodies, vaccines, and new molecules are already available or in the pipeline, but more data are needed to support the inclusion of these in practice guidelines. This review aims to provide a baseline for clinicians to understand and stratify their choice in the diagnosis and treatment of C difficile infection based on the most recent data available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Guery
- Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- French Group of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation
- European Study Group on Host and Microbiota Interactions
- European Study Group on Clostridium difficile
| | - Tatiana Galperine
- Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- French Group of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation
| | - Frédéric Barbut
- National Reference Laboratory for Clostridium difficile, Paris, France
- INSERM, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
- European Study Group on Clostridium difficile
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36
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Kraft CS, Parrott JS, Cornish NE, Rubinstein ML, Weissfeld AS, McNult P, Nachamkin I, Humphries RM, Kirn TJ, Dien Bard J, Lutgring JD, Gullett JC, Bittencourt CE, Benson S, Bobenchik AM, Sautter RL, Baselski V, Atlas MC, Marlowe EM, Miller NS, Fischer M, Richter SS, Gilligan P, Snyder JW. A Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) and Algorithms Including NAATs for the Diagnosis of Clostridioides ( Clostridium) difficile in Adults. Clin Microbiol Rev 2019; 32:32/3/e00032-18. [PMID: 31142497 PMCID: PMC6589859 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00032-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The evidence base for the optimal laboratory diagnosis of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile in adults is currently unresolved due to the uncertain performance characteristics and various combinations of tests. This systematic review evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of laboratory testing algorithms that include nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) to detect the presence of C. difficile The systematic review and meta-analysis included eligible studies (those that had PICO [population, intervention, comparison, outcome] elements) that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of NAAT alone or following glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) or GDH EIAs plus C. difficile toxin EIAs (toxin). The diagnostic yield of NAAT for repeat testing after an initial negative result was also assessed. Two hundred thirty-eight studies met inclusion criteria. Seventy-two of these studies had sufficient data for meta-analysis. The strength of evidence ranged from high to insufficient. The uses of NAAT only, GDH-positive EIA followed by NAAT, and GDH-positive/toxin-negative EIA followed by NAAT are all recommended as American Society for Microbiology (ASM) best practices for the detection of the C. difficile toxin gene or organism. Meta-analysis of published evidence supports the use of testing algorithms that use NAAT alone or in combination with GDH or GDH plus toxin EIA to detect the presence of C. difficile in adults. There is insufficient evidence to recommend against repeat testing of the sample using NAAT after an initial negative result due to a lack of evidence of harm (i.e., financial, length of stay, or delay of treatment) as specified by the Laboratory Medicine Best Practices (LMBP) systematic review method in making such an assessment. Findings from this systematic review provide clarity to diagnostic testing strategies and highlight gaps, such as low numbers of GDH/toxin/PCR studies, in existing evidence on diagnostic performance, which can be used to guide future clinical research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J Scott Parrott
- Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Health Professions, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Nancy E Cornish
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | - Peggy McNult
- American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Irving Nachamkin
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Thomas J Kirn
- Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Health Professions, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jennifer Dien Bard
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Jonathan C Gullett
- Kaiser Permanente (Southern California Permanente Medical Group) Regional Reference Laboratories, Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Susan Benson
- PathWest Laboratory Medicine, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - April M Bobenchik
- Rhode Island Hospital/Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Vickie Baselski
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michel C Atlas
- Kornhauser Health Sciences Library, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | | | - Nancy S Miller
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Peter Gilligan
- University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - James W Snyder
- Kornhauser Health Sciences Library, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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Pigment Visibility on Rectal Swabs Used To Detect Enteropathogens: a Prospective Cohort Study. J Clin Microbiol 2019; 57:JCM.00213-19. [PMID: 30944189 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00213-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Data are lacking regarding the impact of visible pigment on rectal swab diagnostic accuracy. We describe the test characteristics of rectal swabs with and without pigment in children with gastroenteritis. Between December 2014 and September 2017, children (age, <18 years) with ≥3 episodes of vomiting and/or diarrhea in a 24-h period and symptoms for <7 days were enrolled through two pediatric emergency departments and from a province-wide nursing telephone advice line in Alberta, Canada. Specimens were analyzed by employing nucleic acid amplification panels. The primary outcomes were the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for the rectal swabs, with stool specimen results being used as the reference standard. An enteropathogen was detected in 76.0% (1,399/1,841) of the paired specimens. A total of 54.4% (1,001/1841) of the swabs had visible pigment. The respective enteropathogen detection characteristics of swabs with and without visible pigment were as follows: 92.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.0%, 94.0%) versus 83.7% (95% CI, 80.5%, 86.4%) for sensitivity, 94.3% (95% CI, 90.5%, 96.6%) versus 91.2% (95% CI, 86.3%, 94.5%) for specificity, 97.9% (95% CI, 96.4%, 98.8%) versus 96.5% (95% CI, 94.5%, 97.8%) for PPV, and 80.9% (95% CI, 76.0%, 85.1%) versus 65.8% (95% CI, 60.0%, 71.1%) for NPV. Processing of swabs without visible pigment would increase the rate of identification of positive swabs from 50.0% (682/1,365) to 88.3% (1,205/1,365). There is a modest decrease in the reliability of a negative test on swabs without evidence of pigment, but the overall yield is significantly greater when they are not excluded from testing. Hence, rectal swabs without visible feces should not be routinely rejected from testing.
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Ultrasensitive Detection of Clostridium difficile Toxins Reveals Suboptimal Accuracy of Toxin Gene Cycle Thresholds for Toxin Predictions. J Clin Microbiol 2019; 57:JCM.01885-18. [PMID: 30944188 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01885-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for the diagnosis of Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile infection (CDI) leads to overdiagnosis. To improve the clinical specificity of NAATs, there has been a recent interest in using toxin gene cycle thresholds (CT s) to predict the presence and absence of toxins. Although there is an association between CT values and fecal toxin concentrations, the predictive accuracy of the former is suboptimal for use in clinical practice. Ultrasensitive toxin immunoassays to quantify free toxins in stool offer a novel option for high-sensitivity fecal toxin detection rather than using surrogate markers for prediction.
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Advances in Diagnostic Testing that Impact Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs. Curr Infect Dis Rep 2019; 21:20. [PMID: 31044313 DOI: 10.1007/s11908-019-0676-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The primary purpose of this review is to provide a summary of new and emerging laboratory technologies and testing platforms that impact infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship programs. This review also summarizes available data describing the clinical impact of implementing these new technologies. RECENT FINDINGS While there is ample evidence that rapid organism identification technologies for positive blood cultures can ameliorate antimicrobial utilization, an assay that also provides expedited antimicrobial susceptibility testing results is now available and its clinical impact is under investigation. For C. difficile infection diagnosis, data related to performance and impact of "ultrasensitive" toxin assays is emerging in the literature although their role in C. difficile infection diagnosis remains unclear. For hospital-acquired pneumonia, a variety of rapid, automated, multiplexed, "pneumonia" panels have become commercially available and may impact surveillance definitions for ventilator-associated events. Finally, recent FDA clearance of various biochemical and molecular carbapenemase detection tests will facilitate rapid characterization of carbapenem-resistant organisms. Innovations in infectious diseases diagnostics have been making swift strides, broadening diagnostic scope; increasing accuracy and sensitivity; and reducing turnaround time. Many of these innovations directly impact infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship operations. Close collaboration between infection control, antimicrobial stewardship, and the microbiology laboratory is necessary to ensure that new tests improve patient outcomes.
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40
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Orenstein R, Patron RL. Clostridioides difficile therapeutics: guidelines and beyond. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2019; 6:2049936119868548. [PMID: 31448117 PMCID: PMC6693025 DOI: 10.1177/2049936119868548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has become an increasingly common infection both within and outside of the hospital setting. The management of this infection has been evolving as we learn more about the role of the human microbiota in protecting us from this gastrointestinal opportunist. For many years the focus of treatment had been on eradication of the vegetative, toxin-producing form of the organism, with little regard for its collateral impact on the host's microbiota or risk of recurrence. With the marked increase in C. difficile disease, and, particularly, recurrent disease in the last decade, new guidelines are more focused on targeting and reducing collateral damage to the colonic microbiota. Immune-based strategies that manipulate the microbiota and provide a humoral response to toxins have now become mainstream. Newer strategies are needed to look beyond simply resolving the primary episode but are focused on delayed outcomes such as cure at 90 days, reduced morbidity and mortality, and patient quality of life. The purpose of this review is to familiarize readers with the most recent evidence-based guidelines for C. difficile management, and to describe the role of newer antimicrobials, immunological-, and microbiota-based therapeutics to prevent recurrence and improve the outcomes of people with CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Orenstein
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic
Arizona, 5777 East Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA
| | - Roberto L. Patron
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic
Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Lambl BB, Altamimi S, Kaufman NE, Rein MS, Freeley M, Duram M, Krauss W, Kurowski J, O'Neill WE, Seeley P, Gagnon MJ, Phillips DE, Rubin MS. Leveraging Quality Improvement Science to Reduce C. difficile Infections in a Community Hospital. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2018; 45:285-294. [PMID: 30527394 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The most common infection acquired in US hospitals is Clostridium difficile, which can lead to protracted diarrhea, severe abdominal cramping, and infectious colitis and an attributable mortality of 6.5%. The mortality associated with C. difficile is of major clinical importance. The best strategy to prevent such infections is an open question. METHODS A multiyear quality improvement initiative was performed in our community hospital to determine where hospitals should focus their resources to achieve sustainable reductions in hospital-acquired C. difficile infection (CDI). Quality improvement methodology was used to evaluate the impact of sequential interventions in environmental cleaning, infection prevention, and antibiotic stewardship over time. RESULTS After four years, hospital-acquired CDI declined 55.5%, from 12.2 to 5.4 cases/10,000 patient-days (Poisson rate test, p = 0.002). High-risk antibiotic use declined 88.1%, from 63.7 to 7.6 days on treatment/1,000 patient-days (Student's t-test, p < 0.001). The highest-impact intervention was stewardship on diagnostics and high-risk antibiotics using home-grown decision support tools. CONCLUSION Translating scientific evidence into clinical practice using quality improvement methods led to sustained reductions in C. difficile transmission and identified high-risk antibiotics and diagnostics as key leverage points.
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Ultrasensitive Detection of Clostridioides difficile Toxins A and B by Use of Automated Single-Molecule Counting Technology. J Clin Microbiol 2018; 56:JCM.00908-18. [PMID: 30158195 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00908-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Current tests for the detection of Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile free toxins in feces lack sensitivity, while nucleic acid amplification tests lack clinical specificity. We have evaluated the Singulex Clarity C. diff toxins A/B assay (currently in development), an automated and rapid ultrasensitive immunoassay powered by single-molecule counting technology, for detection of C. difficile toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) in stool. The analytical sensitivity, analytical specificity, repeatability, and stability of the assay were determined. In a clinical evaluation, frozen stool samples from 311 patients with suspected C. difficile infection were tested with the Clarity C. diff toxins A/B assay, using an established cutoff value. Samples were tested with the Xpert C. difficile/Epi assay, and PCR-positive samples were tested with an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (C. Diff Quik Chek Complete). EIA-negative samples were further tested with a cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay. The limits of detection for TcdA and TcdB were 0.8 and 0.3 pg/ml in buffer and 2.0 and 0.7 pg/ml in stool, respectively. The assay demonstrated reactivity to common C. difficile strains, did not show cross-reactivity to common gastrointestinal pathogens, was robust against common interferents, allowed detection in fresh and frozen stool samples and in samples after three freeze-thaw cycles, and provided results with high reproducibility. Compared to multistep PCR and toxin-testing procedures, the Singulex Clarity C. diff toxins A/B assay yielded 97.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The Singulex Clarity C. diff toxins A/B assay is ultrasensitive and highly specific and may offer a standalone solution for rapid detection and quantitation of free toxins in stool.
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