Fecal Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) Toxin A and B (Toxin AB) Qualitative testing is a critical diagnostic biomarker used to detect the presence of toxins produced by C. difficile bacteria in stool samples. C. difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that can cause antibiotic-associated colitis, with symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis. The qualitative assay specifically identifies the presence of Toxin A and/or Toxin B, which are the primary virulence factors responsible for the cytotoxic effects on colonic epithelial cells. These toxins disrupt the cytoskeleton, increase intestinal permeability, and provoke intense inflammatory responses.
In clinical settings, the detection of C. difficile Toxin AB in feces serves as a definitive marker for active C. difficile infection (CDI). It is often used in conjunction with other tests, such as glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) antigen screening and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), to improve diagnostic accuracy. Rapid identification of toxin-positive samples supports timely initiation of appropriate therapy, including discontinuation of the offending antibiotic and initiation of targeted treatment such as vancomycin or fidaxomicin. In research contexts, qualitative toxin assays are used to study C. difficile pathogenesis, outbreak tracking, and the efficacy of therapeutic interventions, including vaccines, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The qualitative nature of the test provides a practical and reliable means of confirming toxin-mediated disease presence, rather than mere colonization.
This product is manufactured in USA by Eagle Biosciences.