Usefulness of Stool Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Assays in Patients with Acute Diarrhea
- Author:
Seo Hyun KIM
1
;
You Sun KIM
;
Seung Hyuk KIM
;
Won Eui YOON
;
Hee Jun MYUNG
;
Jeong Seop MOON
;
Dong Hee WHANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:ORIGINAL ARTICLE
- From:The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology 2022;79(3):118-125
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background/Aims:There is a recent increase in the use of stool multiplex PCR assay-based diagnostic tests in patients with acute diarrhea. We used multiplex PCR assays to analyze the distribution of diarrhea-causing bacteria and viruses, as well as the clinical features of patients with acute diarrhea.
Methods:We retrospectively reviewed stool specimens of inpatients complaining of acute diarrhea from October 2018 to July 2020.The stool specimens had been tested for bacteria and viruses using multiplex PCR assays.
Results:A total of 414 stool specimens from 346 patients were tested, and 152 pathogens were detected in 131 stool samples (131/414, 31.6%). Co-infection was detected in 20 patients (20/346, 5.8%). The common pathogens detected as causes of acute diarrhea, including co-infection, were Clostridium perfringens (34.9%), Clostridioides difficile (19.7%), and Campylobacter spp. (18.4%). The average age of patients with multiplex PCR-positive tests was lower than those with multiplex PCR-negative tests (p=0.001). In patients with suspected C. difficile infection (CDI), the RT-PCR for toxin gene assay was performed in 370 stool samples, 35 of which were positive (9.5%). Furthermore, 16 of the 35 samples were positive on the multiplex PCR assay (45.7%).
Conclusions:The multiplex PCR assay revealed that C. perfringens was the most common diarrhea-causing pathogen. In addition, in patients with suspected CDI, the multiplex PCR assay alone was insufficiently sensitive to detect pathogens and a conventional CDI test was additionally required.
