Detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile in paediatric patients

Abstract

IntroductionOur main objective was a revision of clinical, microbiological and epidemiological results of Clostridium difficile-associated infection in paediatric patients (2010–2015). We compared the diagnoses performed by detection of toxins in faeces and those performed by real-time PCR. MethodsThis retrospective study included 82 paediatric patients. Detection of toxigenic C. difficile was performed sequentially, in diarrheal faeces and under clinical request. ResultsA total of 39% of the patients were attended at Haematology–Oncology Unit and >50% of them had previously received cephalosporins. Fever associated with diarrhoea was more frequent in the group of toxin detection, whereas not receiving specific antibiotic treatment was more frequent in the group of positive PCR, without statistically significant differences. ConclusionsWe highlight the presence of C. difficile infection in children under 2 years old. A diagnostic testing in selected paediatric patients would be advisable when there is clinical suspicion of infection.