title: Genetic methods for detection of antimicrobial resistance.
abstract: Accurate and rapid diagnostic methods are needed to guide antimicrobial therapy and infection control interventions. Advances in real-time PCR have provided a user-friendly, rapid and reproducible testing platform catalysing an increased use of genetic assays as part of a wider strategy to minimize the development and spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. In this review we outline the principal features of genetic assays in the detection of antimicrobial resistance, their advantages and limitations, and discuss specific applications in the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, glycopeptide-resistant enterococci, aminoglycoside resistance in staphylococci and enterococci, broad-spectrum resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in gram-negative bacteria, as well as genetic elements involved in the assembly and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Virology, University of Tromsø, Norway. arnfinn.sundsfjord@fagmed.uit.no
authors.forename: Arnfinn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sundsfjord
authors.forename: Gunnar S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Simonsen
authors.forename: Bjørg C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Haldorsen
authors.forename: Håkon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haaheim
authors.forename: Stig-Ove
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Hjelmevoll
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Littauer
authors.forename: Kristin H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Dahl
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011786:Quality Control; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial