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Clostridium difficile Toxin B PCR, Amplified Probe 

Important Note

This test is only orderable by reflex.

Additional Codes

  • Expanse Test Name: C Difficile Toxin B by PCR, St
  • Medinet Ref Code: CDIFPCR
  • OV Code: IMO*CDIFPCR

Performing Laboratory

St. Lukes Hospital Laboratory

Methodology

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Using GeneXpert® (Cepheid)
 

Specimen Requirements

Specimen must arrive within 5 days of collection.

 

1 g of liquid feces in a screw-capped container. Formed specimen is not acceptable. Formed stool is not typical of disease.  Positive results with formed stools may be detecting DNA of the C difficile toxin that is not causing disease (asymptomatic carrier).  These results may be misleading.  This testing method has only been validated by the manufacturer for non-formed stool samples.  There is no data available to back up results of a formed stool sample.  The definition of a formed stool is stool that does not take the shape of the container it is in and a swab does not easily break the surface of the sample.

Send specimen refrigerated. Do not freeze.

 

Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

 

Reference Values

Negative

Children <2 years may carry toxigenic Clostridium difficile as part of their normal GI flora without having disease.

Day(s) Test Set Up

Monday through Sunday

Test Classification and CPT Coding

CPT: 87493

LOINC: 54067-4