title: Ability of the GENSPEED(®) MRSA test kit to detect the novel mecA homologue mecC in Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the GENSPEED(®) MRSA Test Kit that in addition to the traditional MRSA gene mecA, also incorporates a probe for detection of the newly described mecA homologue mecC. So far only one commercial system is able to detect this new gene. The specific objective was to evaluate the ability of the kit to detect and separate Stapyhylococcus aureus containing either mecA, mecC or no methicillin-resistance determinant. Ninety-five MRSA isolates from humans were included in the test and additional mecC-positive isolates from animals and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus were tested. The kit demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity compared to a standard PCR method. The kit provides the ability to perform rapid and reliable detection of both mecA-MRSA and mecC-MRSA.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Infection Control, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Infection Control, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Infection Control, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anders Rhod
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus
keywords: MRSA; Staphylococcus aureus; detection kit; infection control; mecC