C Diff Diagnosis

Hospital-acquired infections at Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth have fallen since it implemented a software program from Meditech, the EHR vendor said Aug. 30.

The developed protocol allows prospective and retrospective molecular and genomic epidemiological investigation of C. difficile infections for infection control purpose.

Heralding in a new frontier of research and treatment: Inside the Microbiome Founded in 2012, the U of M intestinal microbiota donor program was the first of its kind worldwide. Over 1000 patients have received IMT free of charge through the program. Over 100,000 patients have benefited from the protocols established through the U of M Microbiota Therapeutics Program. In medicine, we know that treating one symptom may set off a chain event that causes unintended consequences. Antibiotic treatments, vital for treating bacterial conditions, can destroy some of the 100 trillion bacterial cells in your intestine, leading to C. difficile, a disease that can be fatal to older adults or those with comprised immune systems. As the use of antibiotics continues to rise, we are seeing C. diff infection rates increasing as well. The CDC estimates that C. diff causes 14,000 deaths yearly, with a total cost in the US of $6.3 billion. Even more perplexing to researchers is that antibiotics are the standard of care for treating C. diff. The University of Minnesota Medical School has been leading innovative work in this area through its Microbiota Therapeutics Program (MTP)- the first of its kind worldwide. Founded in 2008, the MTP is a new frontier of medicine that uses next-generation microbiota-based therapeutics to treat C. diff and other diseases. In 2012, Dr. Alexander Khourts, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, performed the first microbiota transplant via colonoscopy. Since then, the treatment has evolved into a 5 capsule protocol that has shown a 98% success rate in treating C. diff infections. The University of Minnesota’s Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics facility now supplies these capsules to OpenBiome, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding safe access to IMT to catalyze research into the human microbiome. In June 2022, research published in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that IMT is an optimal cost-effective treatment for first recurrent C. diff infection, going against the current standard of care that uses antibiotics to treat this disease. IMT is currently a last resort for people with recurrent C. diff. The University of Minnesota Microbiota Therapeutics Program is hoping to change this for patients and their families, building off of our strengths in basic sciences and immunology to explore this new frontier. By the Numbers 1000+ IMTs performed; 98% success rate; 20,000+ IMT capsules produced; $0 cost to patients. Current clinical trials using IMT: Leukemia A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Recipients. Ulcerative Colitis This study examines how daily IMT capsules from healthy individuals with low or undetectable amounts of the bacteria that create H2S affect ulcerative colitis. The main goal of the study is to see if we can change the gut bacteria to decrease H2S production. Liver Disease Fecal Microbiota Transplant in veterans with Cirrhosis. Autism Spectrum Disorder Investigating Microbiota Transfer Therapy (MTT) for treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and gastrointestinal problems (primarily constipation and/or diarrhea). Solid Organ Transplant Recipients and C.Diff Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for C. Difficile infection in solid organ transplant recipients. Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Investigating Microbiota Transfer Therapy (MTT) for treating patients with Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS) and gastrointestinal problems similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Lung Cancer This is a randomized, active-controlled, parallel-group, double-blind Phase II trial, of oral restorative microbiota therapy (RMT) or placebo combined with intravenous (IV) durvalumab (MEDI4736) plus chemotherapy in patients with treatment naïve advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A Deadly Germ & The Dynamic Duo with a Promising Therapy Amanda Kabage finally had an accurate diagnosis after months and months of debilitating diarrhea. The University of Minnesota researcher suffered from Clostridium difficile infection (C. diff). Amanda, 32 at the time, did what any scientist would do: Investigate the disease that had sidelined this avid runner and world traveler. She was excited when she learned that Dr. Alexander Khoruts, a gastroenterologist at the U of MN, pioneers a highly effective treatment—a microbiota transplant. Watch the Story Video of Gut Ecosystem Restoration via Fecal Transplantation Visual representation of healthy microbiomes vs. C.diff infected microbiome University of Minnesota BioTechnology Institute

Drs. Abraham, Chopra and Feuerstadt discuss importance of timely referral and diagnostic methods to discern C. difficile infection (CDI).

Researchers assessed whether the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the annual incidence of Clostridioides difficile infections among patients in the Netherlands.

The study aimed to identify colonized patients as a possible source of eventual VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci) infection from stool samples positive for glutamate dehydrogenase antigen, as well as for Clostridioides difficile toxins A and B. The study was carried out from 7/2020 to 9/2021. S …

Advances in Therapy - Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) is a chronic disorder of gut–brain interaction, characterized by recurrent abdominal pain in association with more...

Diagnostic stewardship has proven effective in reducing C diff infections. We need diagnostic stewardship for other hospital acquired infections as well.

Stool concentrations of the inflammasome pathway, pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β can accurately differentiate CDI from asymptomatic carriage and non-CDI diarrhea, making it a promising biomarker for CDI diagnosis. Significant positive correlations exist between stool toxins and stool IL-1β in CDI b …

The epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has changed over the last two decades, due to the emergence of C. difficile strains with clinical relevance and responsible for nosocomial outbreaks with severe outcomes. This study reports an outbreak occurred in a Long-term …

Why microbiome tests are currently of limited value for your clinical practice https://t.co/uwwd1LHrKl— GutMicrobiota Health (@GMFHx) July 19, 2022

This is the first study examining tetM gene in C. difficile strains cultured from feces by LAMP. Its high specificity and sensitivity, as well as visual detection, make the new assay a powerful diagnostic tool for rapid testing.

This article focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of C. difficile infection and includes an updated summary of literature on the latest guidelines (Part 2).

Clinical picture and testing of CDI Chair: Aonghus Lavelle, Ireland - Clostridioides difficile infection laboratory investigations: When and how, Frédéric Barbut, Paris, France Followed by Q&A with all chairs and speakers

In hospitalized LT recipients with diarrhea, GI PCR pathogen identification was associated with the use of targeted antimicrobial therapy and a shorter length of stay. GI PCR testing should be considered early during admission and later in the post-LT period. This article is protected by copyright. …

Infections caused by bacteria have a major impact on public health-related morbidity and mortality. Despite major advances in the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections, the latter continue to represent a significant economic and social burden worldwide. The WHO compiled a list of six high …

Infections caused by bacteria have a major impact on public health-related morbidity and mortality. Despite major advances in the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections, the latter continue to represent a significant economic and social burden worldwide. The WHO compiled a list of six high …

Restrictive CPOE for CDI in pediatrics was successfully implemented and sustained. Diagnostic stewardship for CDI is likely cost-saving and could decrease misdiagnosis, unnecessary antibiotic therapy, and overestimation of HO-CDI rates.

Ever confused by #Cdiff testing options? 🙋🏻‍♀️@DrJessicaA Cdiff 👑 #AIBDRegionals PCR does NOT detect the PRESENCE of active toxin (ie infection) tells you that there is an organism present that CAN produce toxin2 stage testing:1.PCR testing 2.If ➕ Reflex toxin test pic.twitter.com/CfTzf178vo— Jami Kinnucan, MD, FACG (@ibdgijami) June 11, 2022

The EMR and EMR with phone call interventions were associated with a significant decrease in the HO-CDI rate and an increase in provider adherence to the algorithm.

Healthcare-associated infections can occur in different care units and can affect both patients and healthcare professionals. Bacteria represent the most common cause of nosocomial infections and, due to the excessive and irrational use of antibiotics, resistant organisms have appeared. The most imp …

After Teresa Zurberg experienced a C. difficile infection, she trained her dog to sniff and detect the bacteria in a Vancouver hospital.

Rapid, accurate detection of Clostridioides difficile toxin may potentially be predicted by toxin B PCR cycle threshold (tcdB Ct). We investigated the validity of this approach in an inpatient adult population. Patients who tested positive by C. difficile PCR (Cepheid …

Toxigenic Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a high concern because of its increasing prevalence, among both nosocomial infection and community-acquired infection contexts. A total of 1320 prospective stool samples collected on FecalSwab™ (Cary-Blair medium) were screened using BD Max™ CDIF …