The test is performed when gastrointestinal distress is present and infection is suspected as a cause of the distress. It may be performed when a gonorrhea infection is suspected. It may be performed as an alternative to a fecal culture if unable to obtain a feces specimen.
It may also be performed in a hospital or nursing home setting to see if someone carries vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in their intestine, which can be spread to other patients. Patients with VRE are often maintained on isolation precautions.
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