No perfect approach to detecting C. diff infection

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Anne Ford

May 2017—With Clostridium difficile causing a wide range of infectious manifestations, the dilemma for clinical laboratories is how to balance the different diagnostic options. “Because if you’re treating someone who is only colonized, you’re not going to benefit them—and very likely you may harm them,” said Ferric C. Fang, MD, professor of laboratory medicine, Department of Microbiology and Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, in a recent webinar hosted by CAP TODAY and sponsored by BioFire. And having a negative toxin assay is no assurance, he said, that C. difficile is not causing disease.