Identification of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus hominis from blood cultures by testing susceptibility to desferrioxamine.
Testing susceptibility to desferrioxamine has recently been described as a method for the identification of Staphylococcus epidermidis. This method was compared to a commercial test and the tube coagulase test for the identification of staphylococci from blood cultures and other fluid specimens. A total of 216 isolates was tested over a 13-month period. Sensitivity of the desferrioxamine test in identifying isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus hominis was 97.3%, while specificity was 91.8%. When isolates displaying discrepant desferrioxamine results were characterized using recently described interpretive criteria, sensitivity and specificity of the desferrioxamine test improved to 100%. The desferrioxamine test was reliable, inexpensive and simple to perform, and should prove useful in the diagnostic laboratory.
Department of Microbiology, University of Western Australia.
J A
JA
Lindsay
M A
MA
Aravena-Román
T V
TV
Riley
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D003030:Coagulase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D003030:Coagulase; D003676:Deferoxamine