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A selective broth enrichment combined with real‐time nuc‐mecA ‐PCR in the exclusion of MRSA
Author(s) -
PASANEN TANJA,
KORKEILA MAIJA,
MERO SOINTU,
TARKKA EVELIINA,
PIIPARINEN HELI,
VUOPIOVARKILA JAANA,
VAARA MARTTI,
TISSARI PÄIVI
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2009.02562.x
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , staphylococcus aureus , predictive value , taqman , sccmec , real time polymerase chain reaction , biology , chromatography , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , medicine , chemistry , bacteria , gene , biochemistry , genetics
Pasanen T, Korkeila M, Mero S, Tarkka E, Piiparinen H, Vuopio‐Varkila J, Vaara M, Tissari P. A selective broth enrichment combined with real‐time nuc‐mecA ‐PCR in the exclusion of MRSA. APMIS 2010; 118: 74–80. We analyzed the performance of a selective enrichment broth combined with Taqman‐based real‐time duplex nuc‐mecA ‐PCR to expedite the screening of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We found the broth to be able to select MRSA strains (oxacillin MIC range 4–256 μg/ml) from MSSA strains. A total of 31 MRSA strains were found from 1250 clinical samples screened. The nuc‐mecA ‐PCR was positive from all enrichment broths containing MRSA. From the remaining 1219 samples negative for MRSA on culture/subculture, 138 samples were nuc +/ mecA + in PCR. The sensitivity of the test was 93.5%, specificity 88.6%, positive predictive value 17.3%, and negative predictive value 99.8% as compared to culture. Thus, with this method, the negative MRSA results can be reliably reported within 24–48 h from sampling. The method is a practical additional alternative to those already described for the same purpose.