Clostridium Difficle Detection PCR Test and Its Price in India

This test is used to witness the presence of any infection caused by Clostridium difficile bacteria.

What is Clostridium difficile PCR?

Clostridium difficile PCR is devised to amplify two genes that are precise to toxigenic strains of C difficile: 

• Toxin B
• Toxin C

What is Clostridium Difficile(C.diff)?

C. diff is an infection-causing bacteria that usually causes diarrhea and colitis. Diarrhea is a condition of loose, watery stools that occurs frequently. Colitis is inflammation of the colon.

What are the Risk Factors for C. diff?

This bacteria can affect anybody. It often affects people who have recently taken a course of antibiotics.

Some other factors which may contribute to the infection by C.diff are:

• Age of 65 or above
• Bed sickness
• People with weak immune systems, such as people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or organ transplant patients 
• Previously infected patients with C. diff.

What are the Symptoms of C. diff?

The symptoms seen in patients with this infection are:

• Diarrhea

• Fever

• Stomach tenderness or pain

• Loss of appetite

• Nausea

Use to C.diff PCR test:

It is used when a who is treated for antibiotic-associated diarrhea or colitis relapses and symptoms reoccur. C. difficile testing is advised to ensure the presence of the toxin.

When is the C. diff PCR test recommended?

This test is advised for a person who has mild, moderate, or severe diarrhea for several days without any explanation—often seen in patients who have been on antibiotic therapy recently.

What type of Sample is Required?

Sample can be collected by any method:

• The patient can catch the stool on a plastic bag loosely tied over the toilet bowl and then put the sample in a clean container.
• A liquid or semi-solid stool sample is collected in a sterile container provided by the technician
• The Stool sample collected should be clean and not contaminated with urine or water.
• After collecting the sample, the stool should be taken immediately to the laboratory or refrigerated and taken to the lab as soon as possible.

Interpretation of Result:

• If the test results are positive, it indicates that diarrhea and the symptoms are seen due to Toxin production.
• If the test result is negative, it indicates that the diarrhea is not due to C. diff.