Table 1 A description of different case definitions for asymptomatic colonization and carriage with C. difficile
From: Asymptomatic Clostridium difficile colonization: epidemiology and clinical implications
Term used | Case definition | Study reference |
|---|---|---|
Colonization | Patients with symptomless colonization were defined as symptom-free, excluding patients recovering from C. difficile associated diarrhea. | Shim, 1998 [8] |
Asymptomatic C. difficile colonization was defined as a positive stool culture for C. difficile in the absence of diarrhea. | Loo, 2011 [13] | |
A case of toxigenic C. difficile colonization was defined as an asymptomatic individual with tcdB gene detected in a fecal sample by real-time PCR | Hung, 2012 [109] | |
Was not specifically defined and did not distinguish between colonization and infection. One colonized case was symptomatic at sampling time (personal communication). | Arvand, 2012 [30] | |
Carriage | Asymptomatic carriage was defined as a positive stool culture or cytotoxin test and the absence of diarrhea during hospitalization and during a 30-day period after discharge. | Kyne, 2000 [18] |
Asymptomatic carriage was considered when C. difficile or its cytotoxin was detected in stool from persons without gastrointestinal symptoms. | Simor, 1993 [67] | |
Carriers were defined as positive for a toxigenic C. difficile screening test during the study period in the absence of a clinician ordered toxin screen determined by electronic medical record review. Carriers were categorized as persistent, transient, or indeterminate. | Curry, 2013 [75] |