title: Differentiation between Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species by real-time PCR including detection of methicillin resistants in comparison to conventional microbiology testing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Staphylococcus aureus has long been recognized as a major pathogen. Methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant strains of S. epidermidis (MRSE) are among the most prevalent multiresistant pathogens worldwide, frequently causing nosocomial and community-acquired infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present pilot study, we tested a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to quickly differentiate Staphylococci and identify the mecA gene in a clinical setting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the conventional microbiology testing the real-time PCR assay had a higher detection rate for both S. aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS; 55 vs. 32 for S. aureus and 63 vs. 24 for CoNS). Hands-on time preparing DNA, carrying out the PCR, and evaluating results was less than 5 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The assay is largely automated, easy to adapt, and has been shown to be rapid and reliable. Fast detection and differentiation of S. aureus, CoNS, and the mecA gene by means of this real-time PCR protocol may help expedite therapeutic decision-making and enable earlier adequate antibiotic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klaschik
authors.forename: Lutz E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Folkert
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steinhagen
authors.forename: Malte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Book
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Molitor
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoeft
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stueber
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus
keywords: MRSA; PCR; Staphylococcus; bacterial DNA; microbiology