Comparison of PCR detection of mecA with agar dilution and Etest for oxacillin susceptibility testing in clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci.
Oxacillin-resistant staphylococci are heterogeneous in their expression of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. Different recommendations regarding screening methods for routine use have been published. In this study, the susceptibility to oxacillin of 232 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) was determined by agar dilution, Etest and presence of the mecA gene. When an oxacillin resistance breakpoint of > or = 0.5 mg/L was used, the sensitivity and specificity for agar dilution were 97.6% and 100%, and those for Etest were 100% and 95.4%. The current National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards oxacillin breakpoint recommendation will categorise accurately the CoNS species encountered commonly.
Tveten
Y
Y
Telemark Biomedical Centre, A/S Telelab, Department of Medical Microbiology, Skien, Norway. yngvar.tveten@telelab.no
Jenkins
A
A
Digranes
A
A
Melby
K K
KK
Allum
A G
AG
Kristiansen
B-E
BE
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D010068:Oxacillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus; D010068:Oxacillin