Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel with C. difficile
Test Code
GIDIF
This orderable includes C. difficile testing
Description
This is a multiplex PCR test which rapidly detects 22 common viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause infectious diarrhea. It is best used in patients with broad differentials, or if results will change management (e.g. reduce use of antimicrobials). Providers should ensure that the cause of diarrhea is not laxatives in the prior 24-48 hrs.
This test INCLUDES detection of toxigenic Clostridiodies difficile. However, note that C. difficile may be asymptomatically carried in ~3-5% of the population. Also, certain populations may have even higher rates of asymptomatic carriage, such as young children (up to 37%) or people in long term care facilities (up to 51%) so this test should only be used in patients with risk factors for C. diff. Use test GINCD for patients without risk factors for C. diff.
Targets include:
|
Bacteria |
Viruses |
Parasites |
|
Campylobacter (C. jejuni/ C. coli/ C. upsaliensis) Clostridioides difficile Plesiomonas shigelloides Salmonella Vibrio (V. parahaemolyticus/ V. vulnificus/ V. cholerae) Yersinia enterocolitica Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) Shia-like toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) E. coli O157 Shigella/Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) |
Adenovirus F 40/41 Astrovirus Norovirus GI/GII Rotavirus A Sapovirus (genogroups I, II, IV, and V) |
Cryptosporidium Cyclospora cayetanensis Entamoeba histolytica Giardia lamblia |
Collect
Stool: Collection of stool specimens should be during the acute or diarrheal stage of intestinal infection (5-7 days). Patient should pass stool in sterile pan, without urine or toilet paper touching the specimen. Toilet paper may contain barium salts, which are inhibitors to some fecal pathogens. Transfer specimen into Cary-Blair medium.
Preferred volume: > 3 mL
Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL
Unacceptable Conditions
- Specimens received outside of temperature storage requirements
- Specimens received outside of stability time frame
- Specimens not received in Cary-Blair
- Specimens in expired transport media
- Specimens from a source not acceptable for this testing
- Specimens that do not meet the minimum volume requirement
- Specimens that are excessively leaking
- Mislabeled or unlabeled specimen
Stability
- For optimal recovery of potential pathogens, specimens should arrive within 2 hours at room temperature (20-25°C)
- If transportation is delayed, specimens must be refrigerated (2-8°C) for a maximum of 4 days
- If Shigella is suspected, the specimen should be stored at (2-8°C) the entire duration from collection to processing
Performed
7 days a week from 8am to 6pm
Methodology
Multiplex real-time RT-PCR. Performed on the bioMérieux Torch.
Turnaround Time
<24 hours
Department
Microbiology Lab
Synonyms
Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel
Study Offerings
CAP/CLIA
Reference Interval
Not Detected
Interpretation
Any target on the panel can be reported as detected, not detected, or indeterminate.
Detected results may be evidence of recent or ongoing infection. PCR does not distinguish between live virus and persistent residual nucleic acid. Some organisms may be carried asymptomatically. Positive results do not rule out co-infection with organisms not included in the assay.
Not Detected results should not be interpreted as definitively negative. There is a risk of false negative results due to the presence of sequence variants in the gene targets of the assay, procedural errors, amplification inhibitors in specimens, or inadequate numbers of organisms for amplification.
Test results are not intended to be used as the sole means for clinical diagnosis or patient management decisions. Results must be correlated with clinical history, epidemiological data, and other data available to the clinician when evaluating the patient.
Shiga toxin (stx; identical to stx1 of STEC) is found in Shigella dysenteriae; therefore, a report with positive test results for Shiga-like toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) stx1/stx2 and Shigella/Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) in the same sample may indicate the presence of S. dysenteriae.
CPT Code
87507
LIONC
82195-9New York Approved
FDA Approved or Cleared
FDA
Approved or Cleared