Audit of the laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection in the UK

The Journal of Hospital Infection
R P D CookeG Trigg

Abstract

A UK-wide audit of the laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was undertaken by the Association of Clinical Pathologists and the Royal College of Pathologists, in conjunction with Keele University. A postal questionnaire was sent out to all Consultant Microbiologists, with eighty responses available for analysis. There was considerable variation in laboratory practices. In particular, only 56% of laboratories gave guidance on follow-up testing of toxin-negative samples, 68% provided a 7 day per week diagnostic service and 66% would routinely communicate positive inpatient toxin results to ward nursing or just medical staff. To ensure a consistent approach to the diagnosis of CDI, laboratories require more detailed and prescriptive guidance than is currently available.

References

Sep 1, 1996·The Journal of Hospital Infection·M H WilcoxC Redpath
May 8, 2004·The Journal of Hospital Infection·UNKNOWN National Clostridium difficile Standards Group
Sep 13, 2006·Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases·E J KuijperUNKNOWN European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
Nov 23, 2007·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Lukas FennerReno Frei
Nov 4, 2008·The Lancet Infectious Diseases·Tim PlancheSanjeev Krishna

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Citations

May 1, 2012·Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine·P Rocco LaSalaPeter L Perrotta
Jul 5, 2011·The Journal of Hospital Infection·S D Goldenberg, G L French

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