Rapid identification of Staphylococcus aureus and the mecA gene from BacT/ALERT blood culture bottles by using the LightCycler system

Nabin K Shrestha; Marion J Tuohy; Gerri S Hall; Carlos M Isada; Gary W Procop

doi:10.1128/JCM.40.7.2659-2661.2002

Rapid identification of Staphylococcus aureus and the mecA gene from BacT/ALERT blood culture bottles by using the LightCycler system

J Clin Microbiol. 2002 Jul;40(7):2659-61. doi: 10.1128/JCM.40.7.2659-2661.2002.

Authors

Nabin K Shrestha¹, Marion J Tuohy, Gerri S Hall, Carlos M Isada, Gary W Procop

Affiliation

¹ Section of Clinical Microbiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.

Abstract

One hundred BacT/ALERT blood culture bottles growing gram-positive cocci in clusters were cultured and studied by LightCycler PCR for the sa442 and mecA genes. PCR was 100% sensitive and specific for detecting Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin resistance in S. aureus but was less accurate for methicillin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci.

MeSH terms

Bacteremia / diagnosis
Bacterial Proteins*
Bacteriological Techniques / methods
Bacteriological Techniques / statistics & numerical data
Base Sequence
Carrier Proteins / genetics*
DNA Primers / genetics
Genes, Bacterial*
Hexosyltransferases*
Humans
Methicillin Resistance / genetics
Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / genetics*
Penicillin-Binding Proteins
Peptidyl Transferases*
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Polymerase Chain Reaction / statistics & numerical data
Sensitivity and Specificity
Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis
Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*
Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*

Substances

Bacterial Proteins
Carrier Proteins
DNA Primers
Penicillin-Binding Proteins
Peptidyl Transferases
Hexosyltransferases
Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase