Rapid and sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification test for Clostridium difficile detection challenges cytotoxin B cell test and culture as gold standard.

Compared to the composite gold standard cytotoxin B assay and toxigenic culture, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test for Clostridium difficile had a sensitivity and specificity of 98%, positive predictive value of 92%, and negative predictive value of >99%. A one-hour turnaround time for the LAMP test provides rapid diagnosis and cost savings.

In vitro susceptibility to 17 antimicrobials of clinical Clostridium difficile isolates collected in 1993-2007 in Sweden.

This study investigated the MICs of 17 antimicrobials, for 606 toxigenic clinical isolates of Clostridium difficile collected between 1993 and 2007 in Sweden. Low MIC(90) values were found for metronidazole (0.5 mg/L), vancomycin (1.

The influence of adhesive and invasive properties of Staphylococcus aureus defective in fibronectin-binding proteins on secretion of interleukin-6 by human endothelial cells.

Fibronectin-binding proteins (FnBP) are surface adhesins of Staphylococcus aureus documented to be virulence attributes in, for example, endovascular infections. By using mutants of S. aureus defective in the FnBPA and B genes we have investigated whether these adhesins affect cytokine expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

Molecular epidemiology of hospital-associated and community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection in a Swedish county.

All episodes of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) diagnosed in a defined population of 274,000 including one tertiary and two primary hospitals and their catchment areas were studied during 12 months. The annual CDAD incidence in the county was 97 primary episodes per 100,000, and 78% of all episodes were classified as hospital associated with a mean incidence of 5.3 (range, 1.