Man's Best Friend Sniffs Out C. difficile

A trained dog identified toxigenic strains of Clostridium difficile with 100% accuracy in stool and 83% sensitivity and 98% specificity when near patients.

Infection with toxigenic strains of Clostridium difficile (CD) causes significant morbidity and mortality and is a large and growing problem in hospitalized patients. The available tests to reveal the presence of these strains require several days to complete, increasing the likelihood of nosocomial spread.

Noting the characteristic “horse manure–like” odor of diarrheic stool from patients infected with toxigenic CD, researchers in the Netherlands postulated that dogs — whose sense of smell is far superior to that of humans — might be able to detect this odor with great sensitivity and specificity. (One of the researchers is owner and chair of Scent Detection Academy and Research, Animal Behaviour and Cognition, HL&HONDEN, Edam, Netherlands.…

Reviewing Author

Stephen G. Baum, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardClinical Infectious Diseases

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Editorial BoardsMedical Letter

Stephen G. Baum, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardClinical Infectious Diseases

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsMedical Letter