Detection of Closteridium difficile in patients with Hematological Malignancies: A Stool Based Immunochromatographic study

Abstract

Background: Diarrhea is a common problem in patients with hematologic disease and in patients with immuno compromising conditions. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the presence risk factors that leading to acquire infection with Cl. difficile in children infected sever diarrhea in and immuno compromised patients. Material and Methods: The study was performed on freshly collected stool samples among 32 patients (13 females,19 males) with acute diarrheal in children their ages (1.5 months – 1.3 years) admitted to Pediatric Teaching Hospitals and adults admitted to Baghdad Teaching Hospital (patients with low cellular immunity like ALL, AML (20-75years) from April 2017 to April 2019. A questionnaire was completed for each patient name, age, gender, clinical symptoms like fever, diarrhea, constipation and, abdominal pain. The criteria included also, the risk factors that leading to suppression of cellular immunity. Fresh stool samples were tested by immunochromatographic assay for antigenic detection of Clostridium difficile Ag. Results: C. Idifficile antigen was identified only in three stool samples of male their mean ± S.D. was (24.75-24.37) from 32 patients (13 females,19 males) their ages rang (1.5months-75years), seven of them suffered blood malignancies (such as AML, ALL), while 21patients (seven of them babies) suffered from acute diarrhea with different causes (E. histolytica and fungal infections). All patients had fever, flatulence and abdominal patients, while 4 of patients with low cellular immunity. Conclusion: Cl. diffcile antigen present only few number of patients in three stool samples of maleswho suffered from sever diarrhea, or ALL (acute lymphocytic leukemia), or NHL (non-hodgkinse lymphoma).