title: Detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in blood with the EVIGENE MRSA detection kit.
abstract: A total of 200 blood cultures containing putative staphylococci were analyzed by a commercial gene probe hybridization assay (EVIGENE; Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark), and 18 were identified as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) positive. Of these, 17 were positive by PCR and 16 were positive by culture. Detailed analysis of the discrepant results showed that the EVIGENE kit allowed specific identification of MRSA in blood cultures without any of the drawbacks associated with PCR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom. katrina.levi@mail.qmcuh-tr.trent.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Towner
mesh_terms: D015342:DNA Probes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic