Clinical use
Ribotyping of Clostridium difficile (now called Clostridioides difficile) is used to investigate clusters of cases to identify closely related isolates. It can only be requested by the Infection Control Team, mainly for outbreak investigation.
Background
Ribotyping is a molecular characterisation tool used to identify closely related strains of C. difficile. Ribotypes such as the previously epidemic 027 type can be identified using this test. The epidemiological data, which is derived from ribotyping and other typing techniques, enhances our understanding of C. difficile in the UK. For more information, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clostridium-difficile-ribotyping-network-cdrn-report
Specimen requirements
C diff positive faecal sample
Turnaround time
14 days
Analysing laboratory
Clostridium difficile ribotyping network (CDRN) service, Department of Microbiology, Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3EX
Additional information
This test is referred to Leeds General Infirmary by Microbiology at James Cook University Hospital following request from the trust infection prevention and control team.