title: Screening methods for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: The UK National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS) distributes clinically relevant and educational specimens for external quality assessment (EQA). The aim of this report was to assess the suitability of using a freeze-dried specimen format for the EQA of conventional and rapid methods and to review the methods used by participants to screen for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Of the 714 laboratories that returned a result, 678 reported the presence of MRSA, and results showed a mean of 73 c.f.u. per 25 μl and a median of 50 c.f.u. per 25 μl confirming that the specimen was homogeneous. Four different approaches to MRSA screening were used routinely, including: (i) liquid culture; (ii) direct plating onto conventional media; (iii) direct plating onto chromogenic media; and (iv) rapid methods. A wide variety of methods were used within each of these four categories to screen for MRSA, and many laboratories reported using more than one method. Attempts should be made to determine the most appropriate approach to MRSA screening and to standardize the protocols across the UK.
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, External Quality Assurance Department, UK NEQAS, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Fagan
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, Gastrointestinal and Emerging Zoonotic Infection Department, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK.|Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, External Quality Assurance Department, UK NEQAS, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, External Quality Assurance Department, UK NEQAS, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, External Quality Assurance Department, UK NEQAS, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
authors.forename: Vivienne L A
authors.initials: VLA
authors.lastname: James
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005612:Freeze Drying; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006113:United Kingdom