Resumen

Background: Accurate and rapid detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is very important in a clinical laboratory setting to avoid treatment failure. Conventional methods were compared against the gold standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to determine the best combination of the routine procedures. Methodology: Methicillin resistance was investigated in 416 clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates by PCR, oxacillin agar screening (OAS), oxacillin disk diffusion (ODD) and cefoxitin disk diffusion (CDD) methods. Results: Two hundred and ten (51%) out of 416 S. aureus strains were found to be mecA-positive by PCR. Sensitivity and specificity of the ODD, CDD and OAS methods were detected as follows: 100% and 89%, 99.50% and 100%, and 99.50% and 100%, respectively. Conclusion: Combining the ODD and CDD methods could be a good choice for detecting methicillin resistance in S. aureus strains where mecA PCR cannot be performed.

Palabras clave: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) oxacillin disk diffusion cefoxitin disk diffusion oxacillin agar screening.

2008-04-15   |   599 visitas   |   Evalua este artículo 0 valoraciones

Vol. 2 Núm.1. Febrero-Febrero 2008 Pags. 46-50. J Infect Developing Countries 2008; 2(1)