Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection by toxigenic culture and PCR assay

Background and Objectives: Clostridium difficile is responsible for 15–25% of nosocomial antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) cases and all cases of pseudomembranous colitis. C. difficile has two major virulence factors, toxin A (enterotoxin) and toxin B (cytotoxin). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of C. difficile strains in patients with diarrhea in Babol’ hospitals with toxigenic culture and PCR assay.