Skip to main content
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1984 Feb;37(2):117–119. doi: 10.1136/jcp.37.2.117

Detection of Clostridium difficile in faeces by direct gas liquid chromatography.

P N Levett
PMCID: PMC498663  PMID: 6693575

Abstract

Stool specimens examined for the presence of Clostridium difficile and its cytotoxin were screened by gas liquid chromatography for the presence of volatile fatty acids and p-cresol. Twenty seven of 110 (25%) stools yielded C difficile or cytotoxin; iso-valeric acid was detected in 63/110 (57%) and iso-caproic acid in 18/110 (16%) stools. Para-cresol was found in 24/71 (34%) stools examined. Iso-valeric acid was detected in 85% of stools positive for C difficile, whereas iso-caproic acid (41%) and p-cresol (52%) were found in much lower numbers of C difficile-positive stools. It is concluded that gas chromatographic detection of volatile fatty acids or p-cresol in faeces are not satisfactory screening tests for the presence of C difficile.

Full text

PDF
117

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bone E., Tamm A., Hill M. The production of urinary phenols by gut bacteria and their possible role in the causation of large bowel cancer. Am J Clin Nutr. 1976 Dec;29(12):1448–1454. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/29.12.1448. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Borriello S. P. Gas-liquid chromatography and Clostridium difficile. Lancet. 1981 Dec 5;2(8258):1283–1283. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)91515-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Borriello S. P., Honour P. Simplified procedure for the routine isolation of Clostridium difficile from faeces. J Clin Pathol. 1981 Oct;34(10):1124–1127. doi: 10.1136/jcp.34.10.1124. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Elsden S. R., Hilton M. G., Waller J. M. The end products of the metabolism of aromatic amino acids by Clostridia. Arch Microbiol. 1976 Apr 1;107(3):283–288. doi: 10.1007/BF00425340. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. George W. L., Sutter V. L., Citron D., Finegold S. M. Selective and differential medium for isolation of Clostridium difficile. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Feb;9(2):214–219. doi: 10.1128/jcm.9.2.214-219.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Phillips K. D., Rogers P. A. Rapid detection and presumptive identification of Clostridium difficile by p-cresol production on a selective medium. J Clin Pathol. 1981 Jun;34(6):642–644. doi: 10.1136/jcp.34.6.642. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Potvliege C., Labbé M., Yourassowsky E. Gas-liquid chromatography as screening test for Clostridium difficile. Lancet. 1981 Nov 14;2(8255):1105–1105. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)91296-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Poxton I. R., Byrne M. D. Detection of Clostridium difficile toxin by counterimmunoelectrophoresis: a note of caution. J Clin Microbiol. 1981 Sep;14(3):349–349. doi: 10.1128/jcm.14.3.349-349.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ryan R. W., Kwasnik I., Tilton R. C. Rapid detection of Clostridium difficile toxin in human feces. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 Dec;12(6):776–779. doi: 10.1128/jcm.12.6.776-779.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Shanholtzer C. J., Peterson L. R., Olson M. N., Gerding D. N. Prospective study of gram-stained stool smears in diagnosis of Clostridium difficile colitis. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 May;17(5):906–908. doi: 10.1128/jcm.17.5.906-908.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Welch D. F., Menge S. K., Matsen J. M. Identification of toxigenic Clostridium difficile by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 May;11(5):470–473. doi: 10.1128/jcm.11.5.470-473.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. West S. E., Wilkins T. D. Problems associated with counterimmunoelectrophoresis assays for detecting Clostridium difficile toxin. J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Feb;15(2):347–349. doi: 10.1128/jcm.15.2.347-349.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Willey S. H., Bartlett J. G. Cultures for Clostridium difficile in stools containing a cytotoxin neutralized by Clostridium sordellii antitoxin. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Dec;10(6):880–884. doi: 10.1128/jcm.10.6.880-884.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Wilson K. H., Silva J., Fekety F. R. Fluorescent-antibody test for detection of Clostridium difficile in stool specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Sep;16(3):464–468. doi: 10.1128/jcm.16.3.464-468.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Wu T. C., Fung J. C. Evaluation of the usefulness of counterimmunoelectrophoresis for diagnosis of Clostridium difficile-associated colitis in clinical specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 Apr;17(4):610–613. doi: 10.1128/jcm.17.4.610-613.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES