Abstract: The method for detecting and identifying a variant C. difficile strain in a sample is characterized by the following steps: (a) obtaining a sample of excreta or tissue from a human or animal patient body; (b) bringing the sample into contact with at least one antibody from each of at least three of the antibody groups group I, group II, group III, group IV, group V and group VI; (c) detecting the antibody reaction and constructing the reaction pattern; (d) comparing the reaction pattern obtained in (c) with reference patterns from known C. difficile strains and C. difficile strains the presence of which is to be tested in the investigation test; (e) assessing the agreement between the reaction pattern obtained in (c) and the reference pattern as indicative of the presence of the C. difficile strain of the reference pattern concerned in the sample.