Additional Specimen Instructions

Which patients to test: C. difficile testing is appropriate for patients with clinical signs and symptoms of disease including 3 or more loose or watery stools within 24hrs, and one or more of the following: fever, leukocytosis, abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, evidence of colitis on imaging or colonoscopy.

For patients presenting with diarrhea, consider testing the first loose stool if the patient has a history of C. difficile infection or self-reports acute diarrhea of unknown origin within the first 3 days of hospital stay.

Only one negative screen will be tested per 7 day time period, or one positive screen per 14 day time period.

The C. diff 2 step algorithm testing process is applied to all C. diff screen orders. Refer to the laboratory C. diff algorithm.

Monday-Friday specimens received by 1 pm will be run the same day. Saturday-Sunday specimens received by 3 pm will be run the same day.

Prospective audit (infection prevention, M-F): test orders may be canceled for patients on or after day 4 of admission without 3 or more loose stools in 24hrs, those who received a laxative in prior 48hrs, and those without clinical symptoms of C. difficile infection (e.g., fever, leukocytosis, abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, evidence of colitis on imaging or colonoscopy).

Additional Information (Policy Tech Procedure numbers):

C. difficile Testing Policy #12384

C. difficile Testing Algorithm #12444