Rapid Assay Detects Clostridium Difficile Toxins

Toxin A is an enterotoxin that appears to be responsible for the clinical symptoms of diarrhoea and colonic inflammation, while toxin B, potentially the most potent cytotoxin known to man, is responsible for the associated cell destruction. Clinical symptoms of CDAD were once thought to be solely due to toxin A, but there is growing evidence that Toxin B may also play an important role in the pathogenesis of C difficile. In many areas it is mandatory to use a test that detects both toxins, which would aid prompt diagnosis and allow the physician to initiate appropriate patient management.

C difficile is an anaerobic bacterium that is present in the gut of up to 3% of healthy adults. It is the most important cause of hospital-acquired diarrhoea. Antibiotic use is the primary risk factor for the development of CDAD because it disrupts normal bowel flora and promotes C difficile overgrowth.

The BioStar optical immunoassay (OIA) CDTox AB assay, a product of Inverness Medical Professional Diagnostics (Waltham, MA, USA), provides obvious benefits when it comes to time to result. A positive or negative result can be achieved in just 10 minutes which is a significant advantage when compared to the enzyme immunoassay (EIA), which can take 2 to 4 hours, and cytotoxicity methods, which can take 24–48 hours to yield a result.

The Biostar OIA enteric product range also offers a unique rapid assay for the qualitative detection of Shiga toxins in fecal samples; the product allows fast and accurate diagnosis of infection by Shiga Toxin-producing bacteria.

Inverness Medical Professional Diagnostics, a leading manufacturer of Rapid Immunodiagnostic Devices, offers a range of products utilizing unique optical immunoassay (OIA) technology, enabling a significant step forward in the fight against diagnosing intestinal diseases.



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