CHROMagar™ C. difficile, for 5L Medium

For Detection of Clostridioides difficile in Clinical and Environmental Samples

CHROMagar™ C. difficile is a selective and differential fluorogenic culture medium designed for the detection and presumptive identification of Clostridioides difficile in stool samples and environmental specimens. Colonies of C. difficile appear colourless under normal light but exhibit distinct fluorescence under UV light (365 nm) after 24 hours of anaerobic incubation, enabling rapid and reliable identification.

As C. difficile remains a leading cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea, especially in patients with recent antibiotic use, CHROMagar™ C. difficile provides an efficient culture-based alternative or complement to molecular diagnostics such as PCR. It is particularly valuable for strain typing, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and infection control surveillance.

🔹 Key Features & Benefits

• ✅ Fluorescent Detection: C. difficile colonies fluoresce under UV light (365 nm) after incubation, offering high contrast for easy identification.
• ✅ Fast Results: Detects colonies within 24 hours, compared to 48 hours or more with conventional media.
• ✅ High Sensitivity and Specificity: Selectively isolates toxigenic C. difficile, reducing background flora interference.
• ✅ No Chromogenic Confusion: Unlike colorimetric media, the fluorescence-based detection avoids misidentification with other organisms.
• ✅ Multi-purpose Use: Suitable for clinical stool screening and environmental monitoring in healthcare facilities.

🔹 Colony Appearance

🔹 Intended Use

CHROMagar™ C. difficile is intended for:

• Qualitative detection of colonization with C. difficile in human stool specimens
• Surveillance and infection control in healthcare settings
• Environmental screening for surface contamination in patient care areas

⚠️ Not intended to diagnose C. difficile infection or guide treatment. Confirmatory testing and susceptibility profiling are recommended for positive isolates.

🔹 Clinical Background

Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile) is a spore-forming anaerobe and the primary cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis, especially in hospitalized or immunocompromised patients.

With the emergence of hypervirulent strains and increased incidence globally, early and accurate detection has become critical to reduce transmission, morbidity, and mortality.

📌 CDC 2013 Estimate: ~250,000 infections/year in the U.S. with ≥14,000 deaths

While molecular methods offer rapid diagnosis, culture remains essential for:

• Strain characterization
• Antibiotic susceptibility testing
• Outbreak investigations

🔹 Test Procedure

1. Sample Type: Human stool or environmental swabs
2. Inoculation: Direct plating recommended
3. Incubation:
   • Conditions: Anaerobic
   • Temperature: 35–37 °C
   • Time: 24 hours
4. Detection:
   • View under UV light (365 nm)
   • C. difficile colonies = fluorescent, colourless
   • Other flora = non-fluorescent, colourless/inhibited

🔹 Ordering Information

🔹 Storage & Shelf Life

• Storage: 2–8 °C (sealed, dry)
• Shelf Life: Up to 24 months from manufacture when stored correctly

CHROMagar™ C. difficile is a powerful fluorogenic medium that enables fast, specific, and easy detection of C. difficile within 24 hours. Its ability to highlight colonies via fluorescence greatly simplifies identification—even in mixed flora samples—making it an essential tool for infection control programs, clinical microbiology labs, and healthcare surveillance units.