Direct detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in sputum specimens from patients with hospital-associated pneumonia using a novel multilocus PCR assay.

ABSTRACT: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant cause of hospital-associated pneumonia (HAP). The rapid identification of MRSA would be beneficial for early diagnosis. The study aimed to evaluate a multilocus, fluorescence-based PCR assay based on the detection of mecA and nuc genes for identification of S. aureusin lower respiratory tract (LRT) specimens. Sensitivity and specificity of the PCR assay were analyzed. Clinical evaluation for the assay was performed using LRT specimens from patients with HAP, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) were evaluated in comparison with semi-quantitative culture methods. The result showed the assay provided positive identification of all MRSA reference strains with a limit of detec

SUBMITTER: Huang ZG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4493470 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature