title: Use of a multiplex molecular beacon platform for rapid detection of methicillin and vancomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Drug resistance, particularly vancomycin and methicillin resistance, in Staphylococcus aureus continues to emerge as a significant public health threat in both the hospital and community settings. In addition to the limited treatment options, S. aureus strains acquire and express numerous virulence factors that continue to increase its ability to cause a wide spectrum of human disease. As a result, empirical treatment decisions are confounded and there is a heightened need for a diagnostic test (or assay) to rapidly identify antibiotic resistance and specific virulence determinants and indicate the appropriate treatment. To that end we developed a platform using multiplex molecular beacon probes with real-time PCR for the rapid detection of drug resistance-determining genes and virulence factors in S. aureus. In this study, we demonstrate the specificity and sensitivity of our platform for detection of the genes conferring methicillin (mecA) and vancomycin (vanA) resistance as well as a gene encoding the virulence factor Panton-Valentine leucocidin (lukF) in S. aureus isolates.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Research Institute Tuberculosis Center, International Center for Public Health, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sinsimer
authors.forename: Surbhi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leekha
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Salvatore A E
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Marras
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Koreen
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Willey
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naidich
authors.forename: Kimberlee A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Musser
authors.forename: Barry N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Kreiswirth
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005098:Exotoxins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics*; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D015335:Molecular Probes; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013997:Time Factors; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005098:Exotoxins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007956:Leukocidins; D015335:Molecular Probes; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; D008712:Methicillin