title: Chromogenic media vs real-time PCR for nasal surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: impact on detection of MRSA-positive persons.
abstract: Surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization can be an important element for infection control programs when managing a multidrug-resistant pathogen such as MRSA. The sensitivity and speed of laboratory testing affects the proportion of appropriate isolation days captured, which determines the success or failure of a MRSA control program. Chromogenic culture, CHROMagar MRSA (BBL, Becton Dickinson, Sparks, MD) and MRSASelect (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA), with and without broth enrichment and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR; BD GeneOhm MRSA, BD Diagnostics, San Diego, CA), were compared and found to have a wide range of sensitivities (78.5%-98.2%), specificities (91.6%-100.0%), and turnaround times (2-72 hours). Real-time PCR provided the most rapid results and demonstrated the highest sensitivity followed by broth-enriched culture and then direct plating for MRSA detection in nasal swabs. There was no substantial difference in the labor required for any of the 3 approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Microbiology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Walgreen SB525, 2650 Ridge Ave, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paule
authors.forename: Maitry
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hacek
authors.forename: Toni-Marie
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gonzalzles
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robicsek
authors.forename: Lance R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D002863:Chromogenic Compounds; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013995:Time
chemical_list: D002863:Chromogenic Compounds