Diarrhea is a common complaint among hospitalized patients. Although
it is common for clinicians to request a routine stool culture
and ova and parasites (O&P) examination for patients with diarrhea,
these tests are designed to detect agents of community-acquired
rather than hospital-acquired infection. A number of studies have indicated
that routine stool culture or stool O&P examination is usually
not warranted in adult patients who develop diarrhea more than
three days after admission to the hospital [21–23]. In contrast, testing
for Clostridium difficile should be considered, as this is a major
cause of nosocomial diarrheal illness. New molecular diagnostic tests
offer the promise of providing rapid and reliable testing for C. difficile.
Highly sensitive molecular testing could potentially permit rapid ruleout
of C. difficile, obviating the need for unnecessary antibiotics and contact
precautions in many patients.