Rapid slide latex agglutination test for detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

The MRSA screen test (Denka Seiken Co, Ltd), a commercially available, rapid (20 – min) slide latex agglutination test for the determination of methicillin resistance by detection of PBP 2a in Staphylococcus aureus, was compared with the oxacillin agar screen test and methicillin agar screen test. A total of 862 S. aureus isolates were tested. Six hundred and thirty eight of the isolates were methicillin – susceptible isolates from culture of various clinical samples. Also, 224 methicillin–resistant isolates that compared 205 different phage types were tested. Methicillin resistance was defined as the presence of the mec A gene product, PBP 2a. of the 224 methicillin – resistant isolates, 224 were positive by the MRSA screen test (Sensitivity, 100%), and all the methicillin – susceptible isolates were negative by the MRSA screen test (sensitivity, 98.6%). The sensitivity of the MRSA screen test was statistically significantly higher than the sensitivity of the oxacillin agar screen tests (P<0.05). The MRSA screen test is a highly sensitive and specific test for the detection of methicillin resistance. Also, it offers results within half an hour and is easy to perform, which makes, this test a valuable tool in the ongoing battle against methicillin – resistant S. aureus