title: Multicenter evaluation of a modified protocol for the RAPIDEC staph system for direct identification of Staphylococcus aureus in blood cultures.
abstract: A modified protocol for the RAPIDEC Staph system (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Etoile, France) for direct identification of Staphylococcus aureus in blood cultures was evaluated in a multicenter study. A total of 129 blood cultures (BACTEC 9000 Blood Culture System; Becton Dickinson Diagnostic Instrument Systems, Sparks, Md.) containing gram-positive cocci in clusters were analyzed by conventional methods and by RAPIDEC Staph in accordance with the manufacturer's protocol and in accordance with a modified protocol. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values obtained with the manufacturer's protocol were 90.5, 97.7, 95. 0, and 95.5%, respectively, and those obtained with the modified protocol were 100, 96.6, 93.3, and 100%, respectively. The modified protocol for the RAPIDEC Staph is easier to perform than the manufacturer's protocol and is very reliable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Griethuysen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buiting
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Goessens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van Keulen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wintermans
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kluytmans
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D010450:Endopeptidases