My rule of thumb used to be:-
suspicion of food poisoning:
ill:
otherwise if continuing for more than a week
Guess I'll have to change!
Btw, isn't C.difficile screen different from mcs?
Is the guidance a screening for C.difficile *or* a search for pathogens?
In message <[log in to unmask]>, Paul Caldwell
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>this is the ideal but as everyone knows we cannot logistically do
>everything that is ideal. my thoughts are for what they are worth to do
>a stool mcs:
>just out of hospital
>recently had ABs
>any known gut pathology
>any in residential or nursing homes
>any with serious pathology
>unusually unwell with diarrhoea
>blood or mucous
>any contact with c difficile
>
>dont underestimate it- it kills up to 10% of elderly frail pts from
>residential homes who get it.
>
>Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:05:54 +0000
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Investigation of diarrhoea
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Did everyone know that: "It is a recommendation by the Department
>of Health and HPA that all cases of infective diarrhoea among people
>in the community aged 2 years and above should be investigated for
>C. Diff Infection unless there are good clinical or epidemiological
>reasons not to do so. Samples taken for testing must be diarrhoeal ie
>the stool should take the shape of the container in which it is
>deposited (Bristol stool chart 5-7). This is to physically enable the test
>to be carried out. If a test has not been carried out as the sample was
>not diarrhoeal enough, or there was insufficient stool, this is not a
>negative result and a repeat sample should be taken if there are
>clinical symptoms suggesting C. Diff Infection."
>
>What are the clinical or epidemiological reasons for not carrying out
>such testing (or if preferred how would you select patients for
>testing)?
>
>Julian
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Mary Hawking
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