Comparison of phenotypic methods for penicillinase detection in Staphylococcus aureus.
Penicillinase testing is required for Staphylococcus aureus isolates with a penicillin MIC of </=0.12 mg/L. This study compared five phenotypic assays with a PCR for blaZ when testing 197 S. aureus isolates. The starch-iodine plate method and nitrocefin tests had low sensitivities of 42.9% and 35.7%, respectively. The cloverleaf assay and the penicillin zone-edge determination method had sensitivities of 67.8% and 71.4%, respectively, and these methods might be appropriate in many circumstances, but were not as sensitive as blaZ PCR.
Kaase
M
M
Department of Medical Microbiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. martin.kaase@rub.de
Lenga
S
S
Friedrich
S
S
Szabados
F
F
Sakinc
T
T
Kleine
B
B
Gatermann
S G
SG
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D010405:Penicillinase / Q000032:analysis*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D010405:Penicillinase