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. 2014 Jul;55(4):994-8.
doi: 10.3349/ymj.2014.55.4.994.

Evaluation of a chromogenic culture medium for the detection of Clostridium difficile

John Jeongseok Yang  1 , You Sun Nam  2 , Min Jin Kim  3 , Sun Young Cho  4 , Eunkyung You  1 , Yun Soo Soh  3 , Hee Joo Lee  5
Affiliations

Evaluation of a chromogenic culture medium for the detection of Clostridium difficile

John Jeongseok Yang et al. Yonsei Med J. 2014 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is an important cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Diagnostic methods for detection of C. difficile infection (CDI) are shifting to molecular techniques, which are faster and more sensitive than conventional methods. Although recent advances in these methods have been made in terms of their cost-benefit, ease of use, and turnaround time, anaerobic culture remains an important method for detection of CDI.

Materials and methods: In efforts to evaluate a novel chromogenic medium for the detection of C. difficile (chromID CD agar), 289 fecal specimens were analyzed using two other culture media of blood agar and cycloserine-cefoxitin-fructose-egg yolk agar while enzyme immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction-based assay were used for toxin detection.

Results: ChromID showed the highest detection rate among the three culture media. Both positive rate and sensitivity were higher from chromID than other culture media. ChromID was better at detecting toxin producing C. difficile at 24 h and showed the highest detection rate at both 24 h and 48 h.

Conclusion: Simultaneous use of toxin assay and anaerobic culture has been considered as the most accurate and sensitive diagnostic approach of CDI. Utilization of a more rapid and sensitive chromogenic medium will aid in the dianogsis of CDI.

Keywords: Clostridium difficile; chromogenic; culture.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Culture of Clostridium difficile from stool specimen showing characteristic black colonies after 24 h.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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