Concordance of PCR and culture from nasal swabs for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a setting of concurrent antistaphylococcal antibiotics.
The effect of concurrent administration of antibiotics on the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains unresolved. Here, we assessed the concordance of paired nasal swabs processed using commercial PCR and culture and found high concordance in both the absence and presence of antibiotics with activity against MRSA (93.7% [95% confidence interval [CI], 88.1%, 96.8%] and 90.9% [95% CI, 84.8%, 94.7%], respectively), although PCR was more likely to be positive in the presence of antibiotics. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01234831.).
Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Erica S
ES
Shenoy
Farzad
F
Noubary
Jiyeon
J
Kim
Eric S
ES
Rosenberg
Jessica A
JA
Cotter
Hang
H
Lee
Rochelle P
RP
Walensky
David C
DC
Hooper
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents