title: Comparison of four diagnostic methods for detection of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a well-known pathogen with a worldwide distribution. Given the increasing rate of MRSA infections, implementing of reliable, accurate and rapid testing for diagnosis of MRSA is necessary. The aim of this study was to compare four diagnostic methods for detection of MRSA isolates.
  
  
  METHODS
  From December 2012 to April 2014, 120 S. aureus isolates were collected from three hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. MRSA isolates were detected by four different methods including cefoxitin disc diffusion test, oxacillin disc diffusion test, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of oxacillin as determined by MIC test strip, and mecA detection by PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 120 S. aureus isolates, cefoxitin disc diffusion test, oxacillin disc diffusion test and MIC test strip identified 60 (50%), 48 (40%), 55 (45.83%) isolates as MRSA, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for oxacillin disc diffusion, cefoxitin disc diffusion and MIC of oxacillin were 80% and 100%, 100% and 100%, and 91.6% and 100%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cefoxitin disc diffusion test is reliable substitute for detection of MRSA in clinical laboratory where MIC detection and molecular methods are not accessible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pourmand
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hassanzadeh
authors.affiliation: Urology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Rahil
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mashhadi
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Emran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Askari
keywords: Methicillin resistance; Microbial sensitivity tests; Staphylococcus aureus
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