title: Quality control of direct molecular diagnostics for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Ten samples containing various amounts of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE), and combinations thereof were distributed to 51 laboratories for molecular diagnostics testing. Samples containing 10(2) to 10(3) MRSA cells were frequently reported to be negative. MRSE samples were scored as negative by all commercial tests but by only two out of three in-house tests.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Unit Research and Development, Erasmus MC, 's-Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam, The Netherlands. a.vanbelkum@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Belkum
authors.forename: Hubert G M
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Niesters
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: MacKay
authors.forename: Willem B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*