title: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Optimization of the agar screen plate method.
abstract: Swab inoculation of oxacillin agar screen plates was compared with drop inoculation for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The poor sensitivity of the swab method (59%) was related to heteroresistance of the S. aureus isolates. We recommend the drop method (100% sensitivity) because interpretation of results was significantly easier, making it more reliable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Alfa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ongsansoy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoban
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greenaway
mesh_terms: D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*