How do I get diagnosed with C. difficile?
Physicians can suspect C. difficile infection in patients suffering from diarrhea who have the risk factors mentioned earlier (recent hospitalization, antibiotic use, and advanced age) (5, 19). Several different stool tests can be performed to detect toxin produced by C. difficile bacteria or look for genes of C. difficile toxins (5, 19). In rare instances of severe disease, to look for alternative causes of a patient's symptoms, a colonoscopy [examination of the colon via a scope inserted into the rectum] might be done (5, 19).
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Radiographic imaging tests by computerized tomography (CT) might also be performed if the physician suspects problems in the colon from complications of C. difficile and evaluate if surgical interventions are needed (5, 23).
References
5. McDonald LC, Gerding DN, Johnson S, Bakken JS, Carroll KC, Coffin SE, et al. Clinical Practice Guidelines for Clostridium difficile Infection in Adults and Children: 2017 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(7):e1-e48.
19. Bagdasarian N, Rao K, Malani PN. Diagnosis and treatment of Clostridium difficile in adults: a systematic review. Jama. 2015;313(4):398-408.
23. Fekety R, Shah AB. Diagnosis and treatment of Clostridium difficile colitis. Jama. 1993;269(1):71-5.
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