[When should request a stool culture?]

Abstract

A stool culture needs a medical prescription and is justified only in a case of clearly defined acute diarrhea. The clinical context must be suggestive of a bacterial etiology. The detection of the bacterial agents has to follow a well-defined strategy to optimize a rigorous prescription. Standardized stool culture is for patients treated in medical community practice and for patients hospitalized for less than 3 days. Clostridium difficile toxin testing is systematically performed in case of nosocomial diarrhea. Additional bacterial detections are limited to defined indications.