New real-time PCR assay for rapid detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus directly from specimens containing a mixture of staphylococci.

ABSTRACT: Molecular methods for the rapid identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are generally based on the detection of an S. aureus-specific gene target and the mecA gene. However, such methods cannot be applied for the direct detection of MRSA from nonsterile specimens such as nasal samples without the previous isolation, capture, or enrichment of MRSA because these samples often contain both coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and S. aureus, either of which can carry mecA. In this study, we describe a real-time multiplex PCR assay which allows the detection of MRSA directly from clinical specimens containing a mixture of staphylococci in <1 h. Five primers specific to the different staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) right extremity sequences, includ

SUBMITTER: Huletsky A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC404602 | biostudies-literature | 2004 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature