Abstract:Clostridium difficile infection is the major etiologic agent of antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis, a disease that can be fatal if unrecognized, or untreated. On average, there are 15000 deaths and 500000 new cases per year, in the USA. Diagnostic biomarkers currently used are the tcdB gene, or its gene product (toxin B). Clinical interpretation of the assay is particularly challenging: (1) biomarker detection is possible without manifestation of symptoms and (2) missing biomarker due to assay sens… Show more
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