Ordering Guidance

This test is validated for unformed (liquid or soft) fecal specimens collected from patients suspected of having Clostridioides difficile infection.

Specimen Required

The high sensitivity of amplification by polymerase chain reaction requires the specimen to be processed in an environment in which contamination of the specimen by Clostridioides difficile toxin DNA is unlikely.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Preferred:

Specimen Type: Preserved feces

Supplies: Culture and Sensitivity Stool Transport Vial (T058)

Container/Tube: Commercially available transport system specific for recovery of enteric pathogens from fecal specimens (15 mL of nonnutritive transport medium containing phenol red as a pH indicator, either Cary-Blair or Para-Pak C and S)

Specimen Volume: Representative portion of feces; 5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Collect fresh fecal specimen and submit in container with transport medium.

2. Place feces in preservative within 2 hours of collection.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient (preferred) <5 days/Refrigerated <5 days

Acceptable:

Specimen Type: Unpreserved feces

Supplies:

-Stool container, Small (Random), 4 oz Random (T288)

-Stool Collection Kit, Random (T635)

Container/Tube: Fecal container

Specimen Volume: Representative portion of feces

Collection Instructions: Collect fresh fecal specimen and submit representative sample in fecal container.

Specimen Stability Information: Refrigerated (preferred) <5 days/Frozen <5 days