Pitfalls in Diagnosis of Pediatric Clostridium difficile Infection

The incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has risen among children and C difficile is increasingly recognized as an important cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea among pediatric patients. Still, increased identification of CDI in healthy children in the community and increased testing among infants requires cautious interpretation, given the high prevalence of asymptomatic colonization in young infants and frequent detection of viruses and other co-pathogens in stool specimens in these age groups. The significance of CDI among infants and the implications of positive C difficile testing among healthy children in the community are areas in need of further study.