Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the clinical application of GeneXpert real-time fluorescence quantitation polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in rapid detection of Clostridium difficile from stool. Methods Two-head swab was dipped in clinical stool specimens, one-head swab was used for GeneXpert real-time fluorescence quantitation PCR in detecting toxity gene tcdB , and the other was used for anaerobic culture. The results of these 2 methods were compared and analyzed statistically, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of GeneXpert real-time fluorescence quantitation PCR were calculated. Results Totally 141 clinical stool specimens were collected, and GeneXpert real-time fluorescence quantitation PCR revealed that Clostridium difficile was positive in 42 cases, among which Clostridium difficile was cultured in 34 cases. GeneXpert real-time fluorescence quantitation PCR was well consistent with the culture method (Kappa=0.775 0, P<0.01), and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of GeneXpert real-time fluorescence quantitation PCR were 87.2%, 92.2%,81.0% and 94.9%, respectively. Conclusions GeneXpert real-time fluorescence quantitation PCR could detect Clostridium difficile from stool specimens directly and accurately, and it has a prospective potential for clinical application.

Key words: Clostridium difficile, Rapid detection, Real-time fluorescence quantitation polymerase chain reaction