DefinitionThe stool C. difficile toxin test detects harmful substances produced by the bacterium Clostridium difficile(C. difficile) in a stool sample. This infection is a common cause of diarrhea after antibiotic use.How the test is performedA sample of a stool is submitted for laboratory analysis. There are several methods used to detect C. difficile toxin in the stool specimen.Today, an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is most often used to detect substances produced by the bacteria. The EIA is faster than previous culture tests, simpler to perform, and results are available in about an hour. However, it is slightly less sensitive than previous methods. Several stool samples may be needed to get an accurate result.How to prepare for the testThere are many ways to collect the samples. You can ca