Cytidine deamination assay to differentiate Staphylococcus aureus from other staphylococci.
OBJECTIVE
Adoption of the property of cytidine (cytosine-beta-d-riboside) deamination in staphylococci to distinguish Staphylococcus aureus from other staphylococci.


RESULTS
A total of 560 staphylococcal strains were examined. The test demonstrated a sensitivity of 97.1% and a specificity of 98.8%. Of the 249 S. aureus strains (115 oxacillin-resistant) 58 strains were coagulase-negative S. aureus and another 16 strains were clumping factor-negative S. aureus. The 74 deficient S. aureus strains were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and further investigated by spa typing and 13 spa types were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The cytidine deaminase test (CDT) is useful especially for distinguishing coagulase- and clumping factor-negative S. aureus from other staphylococci and the results correlated well with 16S rRNA sequencing and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the nuc gene.


CONCLUSIONS
Cytidine deamination assay differentiates S. aureus from other staphylococci. This method is fast (6 h) and reliable in distinguishing between non-S. aureus and the defective (coagulase-negative, clumping factor-negative) S. aureus isolates which could have major consequences for therapy.
Krasuski
A
A
Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Do Studzienki 38, Gdańsk, Poland. akras@amg.gda.pl
Michnowska-Swincow
E
E
Jarzembowski
T
T
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003562:Cytidine / Q000378:metabolism*; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D003562:Cytidine; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase