Comparison of Various Methods for Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / 임상검사와정도관리

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cefoxitin, a cephamycin-type antibiotic, is known to be superior to oxacillin in predicting the presence of mecA gene because it serves as a very potent inducer of mecA regulatory system. We used a cefoxitin disk diffusion methods for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and compared it with the conventional methods. METHODS: For 50 MRSA and 50 methicillin susceptible S. aureus confirmed by mecA and femA gene PCR, oxacillin, cefoxitin, and moxalactam disk diffusion methods, oxacillin and cefoxitin E-tests, Vitek 2 and Microscan Walkaway antibiotics susceptibility tests, and PBP2a latex agglutination test were performed. The sensitivity and specificity of each method were evaluated. RESULTS: The sensitivities of oxacillin disk diffusion method and E-test were 96%. The sensitivities of cefoxitin and moxalactam disk diffusion method, cefoxitin E-test, Vitek 2, Microscan Walkaway, PBP2a latex agglutination test were 100%. The specificities were 100% for all the methods used. CONCLUSIONS: It may be considered that both the cefoxitin- and moxalactam disk diffusion methods are effective and excellent screening methods for the detection of MRSA in clinical laboratory routinely.