Evaluation of the Cepheid Xpert C. difficile/Epi and meridian bioscience illumigene C. difficile assays for detecting Clostridium difficile ribotype 033 strains

Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 033 (RT033) is found in the gastrointestinal tracts of production animals and, occasionally, humans. The illumigene C. difficile assay (Meridian Bioscience, Inc.) failed to detect any of 52 C. difficile RT033 isolates, while all strains signaled positive for the binary toxin genes but were reported as negative for C. difficile by the Xpert C. difficile/Epi assay (Cepheid).