Assessment of three rapid methods for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
We evaluated three rapid methods to detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and compared them with PCR amplification of mecA. A total of 103 S. aureus strains were studied by MRSA-Screen, BBL Crystal, Velogene Genomic and mecA PCR. All the methods detected the 61 MRSA strains having the mecA gene, showing 100% sensitivity and specificity. Despite the correlation between all the rapid methods and PCR, the ease of use and shorter turnaround time of MRSA-Screen were important factors leading to the selection of this method as the routine screening technique for MRSA.
Soares
Maria João
MJ
Microbiology Service, Hospital Geral de Santo António, Porto, Portugal. jcabeda@mail.telepac.pt
Soares
Carlos
C
Mendes
Ana Constança
AC
Guimarães
Maria Luís
ML
Cabeda
José Manuel
JM
Amorim
José Manuel
JM
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus