title: European multicentre evaluation of a commercial system for identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zambardi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fleurette
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Schito
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Auckenthaler
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bergogne-Berezin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lohner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makristhatis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Müller-Serieys
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nonhoff
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rohner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rotter
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Schaal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Struelens
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Viebahn
mesh_terms: 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*