European multicentre evaluation of a commercial system for identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
A commercial system for the rapid detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, the BBL Crystal MRSA test (C-MRSA ID; Becton Dickinson, USA), was evaluated prospectively and compared with a polymerase chain reaction test for the presence of the mecA gene. Ten European centres tested a total of 676 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from blood cultures. The system correctly identified 661 (97.8%) isolates within 4 h. All but three mecA gene-negative isolates (99.4% specificity) yielded a negative C-MRSA ID reaction, and 158 of 170 mecA gene-positive isolates were accurately detected (92.9% sensitivity). After repeated testing of discrepant results, sensitivity and specificity increased to 99% and 100%, respectively.
Zambardi
G
G
Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France.
Fleurette
J
J
Schito
G C
GC
Auckenthaler
R
R
Bergogne-Berezin
E
E
Hone
R
R
King
A
A
Lenz
W
W
Lohner
C
C
Makristhatis
A
A
Marco
F
F
Müller-Serieys
C
C
Nonhoff
C
C
Phillips
I
I
Rohner
P
P
Rotter
M
M
Schaal
K P
KP
Struelens
M
M
Viebahn
A
A
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*