Evaluation of a triplex PCR assay to discriminate Staphylococcus aureus from coagulase-negative Staphylococci and determine methicillin resistance from blood cultures.
A triplex PCR targeting the 16S rRNA, mecA, and nuc genes was developed for identification of staphylococci and detection of methicillin resistance. After validation of the assay with a collection of strains of staphylococci and enterococci (n = 169), the assay was evaluated with cultures of blood with gram-positive cocci from 40 patients. Accurate results were obtained for 59 (98%) of 61 cultures within 6 h of growth detection.
Maes
N
N
Center for Molecular Diagnostics, Service de Microbiologie, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. nimaes@ulb.ac.be
Magdalena
J
J
Rottiers
S
S
De Gheldre
Y
Y
Struelens
M J
MJ
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D003030:Coagulase / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D008836:Micrococcal Nuclease; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003030:Coagulase; D003470:Culture Media; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C074002:nuc protein, staphylococcus; D004720:Endonucleases; D008836:Micrococcal Nuclease