What does it mean to be GDH positive?

If you have a GDH positive result, this means that your large bowel is colonised (home to) C. difficile bacteria. If you do not have the toxins detected then it is unlikely that you have C. difficile infection causing your diarrhoea.

What is C diff GDH?

Clostridium difficile produces an NAD-specific glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), which converts l-glutamate into α-ketoglutarate through an irreversible reaction. The enzyme GDH is detected in the stool samples of patients with C. difficile-associated disease and serves as one of the diagnostic tools to detect C.

What do Clostridium toxins do?

The pathogenicity of Clostridium difficile is mainly mediated by two exotoxins: toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB). These toxins primarily disrupt the cytoskeletal structure and the tight junctions of target cells causing cell rounding and ultimately cell death.

What is Clostridium difficile toxin GDH W refl to PCR?

difficile Toxin/GDH w/ Reflex to PCR. Includes: If the GDH Antigen is detected and the Toxin A and B are not detected or the GDH Antigen is not detected and the Toxin A and B are detected, Clostridium difficile Toxin B, Qualitative, Real-Time PCR will be performed at an additional charge.

What is a GDH antigen?

difficile antigen called glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). This test detects an antigen that is produced in high amounts by C. difficile, both toxin and non-toxin producing strains. It is considered to be very sensitive, but it is not very specific for toxin-producing C. difficile.

What is C difficile toxins A B EIA?

C. difficile usually produced two toxins: toxin A and toxin B. The resulting combination of decreased normal flora, overgrowth of C. difficile, and toxin production can damage the lining of the lower portion of the digestive tract (colon, bowel) and lead to severe inflammation of the colon and prolonged diarrhea.

What causes C diff toxin B?

Clostridium difficile toxin B is a cytotoxin produced by the bacteria Clostridioides difficile, formerly known as Clostridium difficile. It is one of two major kinds of toxins produced by C. difficile , the other being an enterotoxin (Toxin A).

What is GDH antigen detected?

difficile antigen called glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). This test detects an antigen that is produced in high amounts by C. difficile, both toxin and non-toxin producing strains. It is considered to be very sensitive, but it is not very specific for toxin-producing C.

What happens when toxin and GDH are discordant?

Note: sensitivity and specificity data represent performance of the test as designed (eg, toxin/GDH followed by PCR when toxin and GDH results are discordant). Absence of both GDH antigen and toxin is consistent with absence of a C difficile infection.

Can a toxin be detected without a GDH antigen?

Additionally, if toxin is detected without the presence of GDH antigen, confirmation by NAAT is also recommended.

What does GDH stand for in medical terms?

What is GDH? GDH is the abbreviation for Glutamate dehydrogenase, which is a chemical found in C. diff. The Department of Health has recommended a two stage testing process to identify whether: 1. You have C. diff in your bowel 2. It is causing you an infection. The test for GDH on stool samples is an initial screening test to detect the

What does it mean if your GDH is positive for C diff?

If the result is GDH positive, a second test is performed to look for toxins that are produced when C. diff is causing an infection. If the second test shows you do not have toxins present, this means you do not have a C. diff infection, but you carry the C. diff bacteria in your bowel. This means you are ‘GDH positive –toxin negative’.