title: Rapid detection of the methicillin-resistance gene, mecA, in coagulase-negative Staphylococci.
abstract: Phenotypical methods are routinely used to detect methicillin resistance in Staphylococci. These methods are time-consuming and there are difficulties in detecting all resistant strains carrying the mecA gene. We detected methicillin-resistant Staphylococci in biological samples by PCR amplification of mecA, without the time-consuming step of identifying a bacterial isolate. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci isolates were also detected by screening on agar supplemented with oxacillin. The biological samples were collected from the hands of 17 healthcare workers at the Department of Paediatrics at the University Hospital of Tromsø. mecA was amplified in 12 of the 17 samples. The gene was verified by DNA sequencing of the PCR amplicon. Using the phenotypical method, methicillin-resistant Staphylococci were isolated from 6 of the samples. In all 6 of these samples, mecA was amplified by PCR. We conclude that PCR is a sensitive and specific method for detecting methicillin resistance in Staphylococci. The PCR detection of mecA is rapid, fairly simple and can easily be assimilated into the routines of a clinical microbiological laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University and University Hospital of Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Glad
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klingenberg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Flaegstad
authors.forename: J U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Ericson
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Olsvik
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D006801:Humans; D008712:Methicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000235:genetics*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase; D008712:Methicillin