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Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Hematologic Malignancy Patients With Positive Clostridium difficile Toxin Immunoassay Versus Polymerase Chain Reaction Test Results

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2018

Matthew Ziegler*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Prevention and Control Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Daniel Landsburg
Affiliation:
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
David Pegues
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Prevention and Control Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Prevention and Control Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Kevin Alby
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cheryl Gilmar
Affiliation:
Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Prevention and Control Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Kristen Bink
Affiliation:
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Theresa Gorman
Affiliation:
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Amy Moore
Affiliation:
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Brittaney Bonhomme
Affiliation:
Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jacqueline Omorogbe
Affiliation:
Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Dana Tango
Affiliation:
Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Pam Tolomeo
Affiliation:
Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jennifer H. Han
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Prevention and Control Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Prevention and Control Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
*
Address correspondence to Matthew Ziegler, MD, 3400 Spruce St, 3 Silverstein, Suite E Philadelphia, PA 19104 (matthew.ziegler@uphs.upenn.edu).

Abstract

In a cohort of inpatients with hematologic malignancy and positive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Clostridium difficile tests, we found that clinical characteristics and outcomes were similar between these groups. The method of testing is unlikely to predict infection in this population, and PCR-positive results should be treated with concern.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;863–866

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
© 2018 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved. 

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Footnotes

PREVIOUS PRESENTATION. The interim results of this study were presented at the Infectious Disease Society of America IDWeek as a poster (Presentation #1291) on October 6th, in San Diego, California.

References

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