Evaluation of an anti-PBP 2a slide latex agglutination test in coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated in Greek hospitals

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2002 Apr;42(4):279-82. doi: 10.1016/s0732-8893(01)00362-5.

Abstract

Oxacillin resistance was examined in 258 coagulase-negative staphylococci from Greek hospitals. mecA DNA was detected in 168 isolates, which were also resistant to oxacillin by agar dilution and disk diffusion, according to the current NCCLS breakpoints. Both methods exhibited a relatively low specificity misclassifying 21 and 19 of the 90 mecA-negative isolates respectively as oxacillin resistant. In contrast, an anti-PBP 2a latex agglutination test, applied after induction by oxacillin, correctly classified 163 mecA-positive (sensitivity 97%) and 88 mecA-negative isolates (specificity 97.7%).

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins*
  • Carrier Proteins / analysis*
  • Coagulase / metabolism
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Greece
  • Hexosyltransferases*
  • Humans
  • Latex Fixation Tests / methods
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / analysis*
  • Oxacillin / metabolism
  • Oxacillin / pharmacology*
  • Penicillin-Binding Proteins
  • Penicillins / metabolism
  • Penicillins / pharmacology*
  • Peptidyl Transferases*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Staphylococcus / classification
  • Staphylococcus / genetics
  • Staphylococcus / isolation & purification*
  • Staphylococcus / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Coagulase
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Penicillin-Binding Proteins
  • Penicillins
  • Peptidyl Transferases
  • Hexosyltransferases
  • Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase
  • Oxacillin