Digital Commons Network^™

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Nancy Roizen, Akshata Rudrapatna, Michael Gabe

Discussions

No abstract provided.

Development Of Prediction Models Of Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Lebanese And Syrians In A District Of Beirut, Lebanon: A Population-Based Study, Marie-Elizabeth Ragi, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Hazar Shamas, Jocelyn Dejong, Nada M. Melhem, Stephen J. Mccall, The Caep Study Group

Faculty Publications

Introduction Vaccines are essential to prevent infection and reduce the morbidity of infectious diseases. Previous evidence has shown that migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable to exclusion and discrimination, and low COVID-19 vaccine intention and uptake were observed among refugees globally. This study aimed to develop and internally validate prediction models of COVID-19 vaccine uptake by nationality.

Methods This is a nested prognostic population-based cross-sectional analysis. Data were collected between June and October 2022 in Sin-El-Fil, a district of Beirut, Lebanon. The study population included a random sample of Lebanese adults and all Syrian adults residing in areas of low …

Honey Targets Ribosome Biogenesis Components To Suppress The Growth Of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Aun A. Bangash, Sahir S. Alvi, Muhammad Bangash, Haider Ahsan, Shiza Khan, Rida Shareef, Georgina Villanueva, Divyam Bansal, Mudassier Ahmad, Dae Joon Kim, Subhash Chauhan, Bilal B. Hafeez

School of Medicine Publications

Simple Summary

Pancreatic cancer (PanCa) is one of the deadliest forms of cancer with limited therapeutic options. The available conventional therapies are highly toxic and often show resistance. Accumulating evidence suggests that dysregulated ribosome biogenesis has been linked to the survival and aggressive phenotypes of many tumor types, including PanCa. Thus, targeting ribosome biogenesis could be a novel approach for suppressing the growth of PanCa. The current study aimed to investigate the anti-cancer efficacy and underlying molecular mechanisms of honey against PanCa. Our results demonstrated that honey induces apoptosis and inhibits the growth and invasive potential of PanCa cells by …

Mutations And Antibiotic Resistance In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Ryan M. Johnson, Bodhi Brady, Nicklaus Busse, Connor Beckman, Hunter Gloden, Joseph Glasrud, Zachary Smith, Hari P. Nepal, Madhav P. Nepal

Life Science Reports

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is a bacterium known to target, infect, and destroy lung cells as well as connective tissues within the body. This bacterium is prevalent worldwide and has infected over a quarter of the current world population, becoming one of the most successful pathogens in history. Due to its extreme transmission rates as an airborne pathogen, MTB strains have been treated with antibiotics such as rifampicin and isoniazid, which inhibit bacterial infection in the human body. These first-round drugs remained as successful mechanisms for slowing and killing the pathogen, notably through rifampicin's inhibition of RNA-polymerase and isoniazid’s ability to …

Flagellar Motility Is Mutagenic, Souvik Bhattacharyya, Shelby Lopez, Abhyudai Singh, Rasika M Harshey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Flagella are highly complex rotary molecular machines that enable bacteria to not only migrate to optimal environments but also to promote range expansion, competitiveness, virulence, and antibiotic survival. Flagellar motility is an energy-demanding process, where the sum of its production (biosynthesis) and operation (rotation) costs has been estimated to total ~10% of the entire energy budget of an

Ct Strain Metrics Allow For Earlier Diagnosis Of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome After Hematopoietic Cell Transplant, Husham Sharifi, Christopher D Bertini, Mansour Alkhunaizi, Maria Hernandez, Zayan Musa, Carlos Borges, Ihsan Turk, Lara Bashoura, Burton F Dickey, Guang-Shing Cheng, Gregory Yanik, Craig J Galban, Huawei Henry Guo, Myrna C B Godoy, Joseph M Reinhardt, Eric A Hoffman, Mario Castro, Gabriela Rondon, Amin M Alousi, Richard E Champlin, Elizabeth J Shpall, Ying Lu, Samuel Peterson, Keshav Datta, Mark R Nicolls, Joe Hsu, Ajay Sheshadri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Quantitative computed tomography (qCT) can help diagnose advanced BOS meeting National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria (NIH-BOS) but has not been used to diagnose early, often asymptomatic BOS (early BOS), limiting the potential for early intervention and improved outcomes. Using pulmonary function tests (PFTs) to define NIH-BOS, early BOS, and mixed BOS (NIH-BOS with restrictive lung disease) in patients from 2 large cancer centers, we applied qCT to identify early BOS and distinguish between types of BOS. Patients with transient impairment or healthy lungs …

Estimates Of Actual And Potential Lives Saved In The United States From The Use Of Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma, Quigly Dragotakes, Jeffrey P Henderson, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In the Spring of 2020, the United States of America (USA) deployed COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) to treat hospitalized patients. Over 500,000 patients were treated with CCP during the first year of the pandemic. In this study, we estimated the number of actual inpatient lives saved by CCP treatment in the United States of America based on CCP weekly use, weekly national mortality data, and CCP mortality reduction data from meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials and real-world data. We also estimate the potential number of lives saved if CCP had been deployed for 100% of hospitalized patients or used in …

Understanding Long Covid: Navigating The Journey To Recovery, Heather H. Kelley, Rachel Byers, Ty Aller, Timothy Keady

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides very basic facts on what long COVID is and information on how to navigate the healthcare system and cope with long COVID.

Tca Metabolism Regulates Dna Hypermethylation In Lps And Mycobacterium Tuberculosis–Induced Immune Tolerance, Abhimanyu, Santiago Carrero Longlax, Tomoki Nishiguchi, Malik Ladki, Daanish Sheikh, Amera L Martinez, Emily M Mace, Sandra L Grimm, Thaleia Caldwell, Alexandra Portillo Varela, Rajagopal V Sekhar, Anna M Mandalakas, Mandla Mlotshwa, Sibuse Ginidza, Jeffrey D Cirillo, Robert S Wallis, Mihai G Netea, Reinout Van Crevel, Cristian Coarfa, Andrew R Dinardo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Severe and chronic infections, including pneumonia, sepsis, and tuberculosis (TB), induce long-lasting epigenetic changes that are associated with an increase in all-cause postinfectious morbidity and mortality. Oncology studies identified metabolic drivers of the epigenetic landscape, with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle acting as a central hub. It is unknown if the TCA cycle also regulates epigenetics, specifically DNA methylation, after infection-induced immune tolerance. The following studies demonstrate that lipopolysaccharide and Mycobacterium tuberculosis induce changes in DNA methylation that are mediated by the TCA cycle. Infection-induced DNA hypermethylation is mitigated by inhibitors of cellular metabolism (rapamycin, everolimus, metformin) and the TCA …

Informing Estimates Of Probability Of Clostridioides Difficile Infection For Testing And Treatment: Expert Consensus From A Modified-Delphi Procedure, Jonathan D Baghdadi, Erik R Dubberke, Michael Durkin, Jennie H Kwon, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND:

METHODS: A panel of fifteen experts in infectious diseases participated in a modified UCLA/RAND Delphi study to estimate likelihood of CDI. Consensus, defined as agreement by >70% of panelists, was assessed via a REDCap survey. Items without consensus were discussed in a virtual meeting followed by a second survey.

RESULTS: All fifteen panelists completed both surveys (100% response rate). In the initial survey, consensus was present on 6 of 15 (40%) items related to risk of CDI. After panel discussion and clarification of questions, consensus (>70% agreement) was reached on all remaining items in the second survey. Antibiotics …

Back To School Illnesses, Robert W Steele, Edward Lyon

Pediatrics in Practice: A CME Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Eddie Lyon will lead a discussion focusing on back to school illnesses, and the preventative methods, including vaccinations, parents can take during this school year.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

Human Epidemiology And Response To Sars-Cov-2 (Heros): Objectives, Design, And Enrollment Results Of A 12-City Remote Observational Surveillance Study Of Households With Children, Using Direct-To-Participant Methods, Patricia C Fulkerson, Katherine Rivera-Spoljaric, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The Human Epidemiology and Response to SARS-CoV-2 (HEROS) Study is a prospective, multicity, 6-month incidence study conducted from May 2020 to February 2021. The objectives were to identify risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection and household transmission among children and people with asthma and allergic diseases, and to use the host nasal transcriptome sampled longitudinally to understand infection risk and sequelae at the molecular level. To overcome challenges of clinical study implementation due to the coronavirus pandemic, this surveillance study used direct-to-participant methods to remotely enroll and prospectively follow eligible children who are participants in other National Institutes of Health-funded pediatric …

A Successful Case Of Disseminated Blastomycosis Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Hillary Deveaux, Kendymill Taveras, Mira Modi, Nerissa Fernandes, Mylaun Griffith, Daniel Grahf

Advocate GME

No abstract provided.

Performance Of Ag‑Doped Cuo Nanoparticles For Photocatalytic Activity Applications: Synthesis, Characterization, And Antimicrobial Activity, Samar A. Salim, Ahmed Mosleh, Elbadawy A. Kamoun, Shahira H El-Moslamy, Heba Zahran, Samer Zyoud, Ibrahim Yahia

Nanotechnology Research Centre

The auto-combustion method synthesized CuO NPs and Ag/CuO NPs. The Ag/CuO NPs were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray difraction, scanning electron microscope, and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy instrumental analyses. The energy band gap, as determined by DRS properties, decreases from 3.82 to 3.50 eV for pure CuO and 10% Ag/CuO NPs, respectively. The photodegradation efciency of Rhodamine-B & Carmine by 10% Ag/CuO NPs was nearly 98.9 and 97.8%, respectively. Antimicrobial trials revealed that the antimicrobial efficacy of Ag/CuO NPs at several dosages (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 µg/mL) against human pathogens was initially assessed using the agar well-diffusion method, …

Synergistic Efficacy Of Zno Quantum Dots, Ag Nps, And Nitazoxanide Composite Against Multidrug-Resistant Human Pathogens As New Trend Of Revolutionizing Antimicrobial Treatment, Islam Gomaa

Nanotechnology Research Centre

No abstract provided.

Inspire : Vol 7 Issue 10, Department Of Medicine

INSPIRE – Department of Medicine Archives

• Message from the Chair
• Medicine at National and International Forums
• Asian Oceanian Myology Center
• Dr. Shahab Abid's at Gastro Summit
• BDLA Conference
• Cardiovascular Innovation Foundation Conference 2024
• Dr Javaid Khan once again!
• Epilepsy Mini-Fellowship
• PIMA Central convention
• Nazar Ali Waljee Staff Award
• Empowering Dermatology Postgraduates
• Fire Drill | Department of Medicine
• Dr Noreen Nasir | Sharing her FDA journey | NUH Singapore
• Featured Fellow: Sana Qamar
• Poem
• Upcoming Events

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update By The Infectious Diseases Society Of America On Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: Diagnostic Imaging Of Suspected Acute Intra-Abdominal Abscess In Adults, Children, And Pregnant People, Robert A Bonomo, Pranita D Tamma, Fredrick M Abrahamian, Mary Bessesen, Anthony W Chow, E Patchen Dellinger, Morven S Edwards, Ellie Goldstein, Mary K Hayden, Romney Humphries, Keith S Kaye, Brian A Potoski, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Robert Sawyer, Marion Skalweit, David R Snydman, Katelyn Donnelly, Jennifer Loveless

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This article is part of a clinical practice guideline update on the risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this article, the panel provides recommendations for diagnostic imaging of suspected acute intra-abdominal abscess. The panel's recommendations are based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update By The Infectious Diseases Society Of America On Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: Risk Assessment, Diagnostic Imaging, And Microbiological Evaluation In Adults, Children, And Pregnant People, Robert A Bonomo, Anthony W Chow, Morven S Edwards, Romney Humphries, Pranita D Tamma, Fredrick M Abrahamian, Mary Bessesen, E Patchen Dellinger, Ellie Goldstein, Mary K Hayden, Keith S Kaye, Brian A Potoski, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Robert Sawyer, Marion Skalweit, David R Snydman, Sarah Pahlke, Katelyn Donnelly, Jennifer Loveless

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

As the first part of an update to the clinical practice guideline on the diagnosis and management of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the panel presents 21 updated recommendations. These recommendations span risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation. The panel's recommendations are based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update By The Infectious Diseases Society Of America On Complicated Intraabdominal Infections: Diagnostic Imaging Of Suspected Acute Cholecystitis And Acute Cholangitis In Adults, Children, And Pregnant People, Robert A Bonomo, Morven S Edwards, Fredrick M Abrahamian, Mary Bessesen, Anthony W Chow, E Patchen Dellinger, Ellie Goldstein, Mary K Hayden, Romney Humphries, Kaye, Brian A Potoski, Rodríguez-Baño, Robert Sawyer, Marion Skalweit, David R Snydman, Pranita D Tamma, Katelyn Donnelly, Jennifer Loveless

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This article is part of a clinical practice guideline update on the risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation of complicated intraabdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this article, the panel provides recommendations for diagnostic imaging of suspected acute cholecystitis and acute cholangitis. The panel's recommendations are based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update By The Infectious Diseases Society Of America On Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: Diagnostic Imaging Of Suspected Acute Appendicitis In Adults, Children, And Pregnant People, Robert A Bonomo, Pranita D Tamma, Fredrick M Abrahamian, Mary Bessesen, Anthony W Chow, E Patchen Dellinger, Morven S Edwards, Ellie Goldstein, Mary K Hayden, Romney Humphries, Keith S Kaye, Brian A Potoski, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Robert Sawyer, Marion Skalweit, David R Snydman, Katelyn Donnelly, Jennifer Loveless

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This paper is part of a clinical practice guideline update on the risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). In this paper, the panel provides recommendations for diagnostic imaging of suspected acute appendicitis. The panel's recommendations are based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update By The Infectious Diseases Society Of America On Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: Utility Of Blood Cultures In Adults, Children, And Pregnant People, Robert A Bonomo, Romney Humphries, Fredrick M Abrahamian, Mary Bessesen, Anthony W Chow, E Patchen Dellinger, Morven S Edwards, Ellie Goldstein, Mary K Hayden, Keith S Kaye, Brian A Potoski, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Robert Sawyer, Marion Skalweit, David R Snydman, Pranita D Tamma, Sarah Pahlke, Katelyn Donnelly, Jennifer Loveless

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This article is part of a clinical practice guideline update on the risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this guideline, the panel provides recommendations for obtaining blood cultures in patients with known or suspected intra-abdominal infection. The panel's recommendations are based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update By The Infectious Diseases Society Of America On Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: Diagnostic Imaging Of Suspected Acute Diverticulitis In Adults And Pregnant People, Robert A Bonomo, Pranita D Tamma, Fredrick M Abrahamian, Mary Bessesen, Anthony W Chow, E Patchen Dellinger, Morven S Edwards, Ellie Goldstein, Mary K Hayden, Romney Humphries, Keith S Kaye, Brian A Potoski, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Robert Sawyer, Marion Skalweit, David R Snydman, Katelyn Donnelly, Jennifer Loveless

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This paper is part of a clinical practice guideline update on the risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this paper, the panel provides recommendations for diagnostic imaging of suspected acute diverticulitis. The panel's recommendations are based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update By The Infectious Diseases Society Of America On Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: Risk Assessment In Adults And Children, Robert A Bonomo, Anthony W Chow, Fredrick M Abrahamian, Mary Bessesen, E Patchen Dellinger, Morven S Edwards, Ellie Goldstein, Mary K Hayden, Romney Humphries, Keith S Kaye, Brian A Potoski, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Robert Sawyer, Marion Skalweit, David R Snydman, Pranita D Tamma, Katelyn Donnelly, Dipleen Kaur, Jennifer Loveless

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This paper is part of a clinical practice guideline update on the risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this paper, the panel provides a recommendation for risk stratification according to severity of illness score. The panel's recommendation is based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adheres to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update By The Infectious Diseases Society Of America On Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: Utility Of Intra-Abdominal Fluid Cultures In Adults, Children, And Pregnant People, Robert A Bonomo, Romney Humphries, Fredrick M Abrahamian, Mary Bessesen, Anthony W Chow, E Patchen Dellinger, Morven S Edwards, Ellie Goldstein, Mary K Hayden, Keith S Kaye, Brian A Potoski, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Robert Sawyer, Marion Skalweit, David R Snydman, Pranita D Tamma, Katelyn Donnelly, Jennifer Loveless

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This paper is part of a clinical practice guideline update on the risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this paper, the panel provides recommendations for obtaining cultures of intra-abdominal fluid in patients with known or suspected intra-abdominal infection. The panel's recommendations are based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus) Mortalities In Maryland, 1988–2017, Glenn D. Therres

Maryland Birdlife

No abstract provided.

College Readiness In Career And Technical Education Instruction During The Pandemic, Kenyetta A. Kendrick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College and career readiness (CCR) has become a priority in national education policy, leading to changes to CCR standards, practices, and measurements. In response to the COVID pandemic, school closings altered student engagement in career and technical education (CTE) courses. CTE teachers played a crucial role in providing CCR support to students by looking for ways to better align curriculum and engagement for successful transitions from high school to college. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine how teachers’ implementation of college and career instruction in CTE courses was influenced by the pandemic. Conley’s college readiness framework …

The Impact Of Covid-19 Response Measures On The Mental Health And Well-Being Of Teachers At Predominately Black Schools, Llewellyn Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers in predominately Black schools had limited access to mental health resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how the response to COVID-19 affected the mental health and well-being (MHWB) of teachers at predominately Black schools during the pandemic to gain an in-depth understanding of their experiences regarding MHWB. The study participants were eight teachers at various schools in the state of Alabama. The goal was to understand how teachers experienced MHWB support during the COVID-19 pandemic, how teachers’ MHWB were affected when there were rapid adjustments to curricula changes, and how …

The Perspective Of Formerly Incarcerated African American Men During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Iyesha Shauntae' Franklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The confluence of two devastating circumstances—the COVID-19 pandemic and the crowded, insalubrious living conditions in American jails as a result of mass incarceration, brought about an epidemic of an unprecedented magnitude. The large jail population, highly susceptible to infections due to overcrowded conditions, experienced exponential spread of the virus. While earlier research examined unhealthy situations related to the prison environment and their effects on inmates, the focus of such studies was not typically major crises or disease outbreaks in prisons. This qualitative phenomenological study used 10 participants located in the southeastern United States as a case study to better understand …

Penicillin Susceptibility Among Staphylococcus Aureus Skin And Soft Tissue Infections At A Children’S Hospital, J Chase Mcneil, Lauren M Sommer, Marritta Joseph, Kristina G Hulten, Sheldon L Kaplan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Shortly after its introduction into clinical practice, Staphylococcus aureus isolates gained resistance to penicillin via the acquisition of β-lactamases. A number of centers have recently described an increase in the proportion of invasive methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), which are also susceptible to penicillin (PSSA). Little data are available regarding the prevalence or impact of PSSA in skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI). Community-acquired MSSA SSTI isolates were obtained through a surveillance study at Texas Children’s Hospital from January 2017 to December 2021. A total of 200 random isolates underwent PCR for blaZ β-lactamase; blaZ-negative isolates then underwent penicillin susceptibility …

Evaluation Of The Clinical Performance Of A Multistep Algorithm For The Diagnosis Of Clostridioides Difficile Infection And Patient Characteristics In A Clinical Setting, Mayuree Khantipong, Ajcharaporn Sawatpanich, Kanphai Wongjarit, Somying Tumwasorn, Pattama Torvorapanit, Suwatchareeporn Rotcheewaphan Dr.

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a significant cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and colitis. The diagnosis of CDI relies on clinical presentations confirmed by laboratory investigations.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of current diagnostic tests and examine the characteristics of patients associated with CDI in a real hospital setting.

Methods: A total of 299 unformed stool specimens were collected and analyzed using the C. DIFF QUIK CHEK COMPLETE and PCR assays. Patient data were retrospectively reviewed from medical records.

Results: The C. DIFF QUIK CHEK COMPLETE and PCR assays detected toxigenic C. difficile …