Comparison of commercial assays and two-step approach to detect Clostridioides difficile in South Africa

The article evaluates diagnostic tests for Clostridioides difficile infection, comparing commercial assays and a two-step approach with toxigenic culture. It highlights performance and implications for resource-limited settings.

Educational Objectives

Educational Aim:

This study assessed the performance of three commercially available tests and a two-step approach for the diagnosis of C. difficile infection using toxigenic culture (TC) as the gold standard.

Educational Outcomes:
Upon completion of this module practitioners should have a clear understanding of:

1. Understanding the importance of accurately diagnosing C. difficile infection, especially in hospitals.

2. Learning about the performance of three tests and a two-step approach for diagnosis, compared to the gold standard test.

3. Discovering that a two-step approach combining a specific test with another one performs similarly to more expensive tests and could be advantageous in resource-limited settings.

Instructions for this Module

• Read the supplied reading material and complete the quiz that follows;
• You have three attempts to pass the quiz;
• The pass grade is 70%;
• You need to pass the quiz to claim your CPD certificate;
• Please click on the CPD certificate link below to claim your CPD certificate and to update your CPD Manager.

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