Infectious Diseases

Clostridium difficile diseases

C. difficile is a spore forming bacteria which can be part of the normal intestinal flora in as many as 50 percent of children under age two, and less frequently in individuals over two years of age. C. difficile is the major cause of pseudomembranous colitis and antibiotic associated diarrhea. C. difficile associated disease occurs when normal intestinal bacteria is altered, allowing C. difficile to flourish in the intestinal tract and produce a toxin that causes a watery diarrhea. Repeated enemas, prolonged nasogastric tube insertion and gastrointestinal tract surgery increase a person’s risk of developing the disease. The overuse of antibiotics, especially penicillin (ampicillin), clindamycin and cephalosporins may also alter normal intestinal bacteria that will increase the risk of developing C. difficile diarrhea. Mild cases of C. difficile disease are characterized by frequent, foul smelling, watery stools. More severe symptoms, indicative of pseudomembranous colitis, include diarrhea that contains blood and mucous, and abdominal cramps. An abnormal heartbeat may also occur.

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Triage C. difficile Panel

The Triage® C. difficile Panel is a rapid, visual test that detects both the C. difficile Common Antigen and Toxin A in approximately 15 minutes. Physicians can make earlier, more informed treatment decisions. The result is improved patient care with fast, definitive results that allow earlier treatment and minimization of a patient's time in isolation.

Diarrheal diseases

Diarrheal diseases are an increasing problem in both developed and developing countries. Those diarrheal diseases caused by protozoan species comprise a significant proportion of worldwide diarrheal morbidity and mortality. Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Cryptosporidium parvum are three of the major causes of protozoa induced diarrhea. A major difficulty in the management of these diseases is the timely and accurate diagnosis of the disease so that appropriate patient treatment can be initiated, whether it be at the level of effective drug therapy or support therapy. Diagnosis is traditionally made using microscopic examination and requires an experienced technician. G. lamblia, E. histolytica, and C. parvum are all clinically significant parasites that cause mild to severe infections.

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Triage Parasite Panel

The Triage Parasite Panel is a rapid, visual test for the detection of three common waterborne parasites, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar. The Triage Parasite Panel delivers results in approximately 20 minutes and improves upon current testing methods by eliminating complicated, labor intensive processes and lengthy turnaround times, while maintaining high levels of accuracy.