Evaluation of the fully automated BD MAX Cdiff and Xpert C. difficile assays for direct detection of Clostridium difficile in stool specimens

J Clin Microbiol. 2013 Jun;51(6):1906-8. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00344-13. Epub 2013 Mar 20.

Abstract

We evaluated the fully automated molecular BD MAX Cdiff assay (BD Diagnostics) and the Xpert C. difficile test (Cepheid) for rapid detection of Clostridium difficile infection. Culture was done on chromogenic agar followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry identification and toxin detection. Repeat testing was required for 1.8% and 6.0% of the BD MAX and Xpert tests, respectively. Sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV) were 90.5%, 97.9%, 89.3%, and 98.1%, respectively, for BD MAX and 97.3%, 97.9%, 90.0%, and 99.5%, respectively, for Xpert.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Automation, Laboratory / methods
  • Bacterial Toxins / analysis
  • Bacteriological Techniques / methods*
  • Chromogenic Compounds / metabolism
  • Clostridioides difficile / chemistry
  • Clostridioides difficile / genetics
  • Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification*
  • Clostridium Infections / diagnosis*
  • Clostridium Infections / microbiology*
  • Culture Media / chemistry
  • Feces / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods

Substances

  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Chromogenic Compounds
  • Culture Media