Rapid Detection of C. difficile BI/NAP1/027: Useful for Infection Control but Specificity Concerns Remain
This review evaluates laboratory methods for detecting the hypervirulent C. difficile strain BI/NAP1/027, comparing traditional culture-based typing with rapid nucleic acid amplification tests. While rapid molecular detection offers same-day results, closely related strains compromise test specificity. The paper concludes that data supporting rapid strain detection as an infection control tool remain limited despite its theoretical utility.
The original study
Clinical Utility of Laboratory Detection of Clostridium difficile Strain BI/NAP1/027.
- Authors
- Kociolek LK, Gerding DN
- Journal
- Journal of clinical microbiology
- Type
- Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review
- PMID
- 26511742
Original abstract
Clostridium difficile strain BI/NAP1/027 is associated with increased C. difficile infection (CDI) rates and severity, and the efficacy of some CDI therapies may be strain dependent. Although cultured C. difficile isolates can be reliably subtyped by various methods, the long turnaround times, high cost, and limited availability of strain typing preclude their routine use. Nucleic acid amplification tests identify BI/NAP1/027 rapidly from stool, but the emergence of closely related strains compromises test specificity. Although detection of epidemiologically significant pathogens is generally useful for infection control programs, specific data supporting use of rapid detection of BI/NAP1/027 as an infection control tool are still awaited.