Korean J Clin Pathol.  1997 Aug;17(4):581-587.

The Study of Identification of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus using Polymerase Chain Reaction

• Gil YG
• Jeong JH
• Ihm CB
• Shin YS
• Koo SH

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Rapid and accurate identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA) is very important for patients because they are one of the most common etiologic agents of hospital infection. Conventional identification methods for MRSA are influenced by various factors such as pH, concentration of salt, conditions of media.
METHODS
53 methicillin resistant staphylococcus strains identified by ATB plus system (Biomerieux, France) were preformed the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Southern blot hybridization fort the detection of mec A gene, and subcultured in Meuller-Hinton media containing 4 microgram/mL oxacillin for the comparison.
RESULTS
The correlation of detection rate of mec A gene PCR and ATB plus systems was 81.6%. The correlation of mec A gene PCR and MRSA on Mueller-Hinton media containing 4 microgram/mL oxacillin was 80%. We confirmed by Southern blot hybridization the amplified mer A gene originated from chromosome of MRSA. As the results of oxacillin sensitivity test, minimal inhibitory concentrations of MRSA were distributed between 40 microgram/mL and 320 microgram/mL. When compared with executing time, ATB plus system took 24 hours, but PCR took 5 hours for identification.
CONCLUSION
We concluded that mec A gone PCR techniques were simple and rapid for detection of MRSA comparative to conventional methods.

MeSH Terms

Blotting, Southern
Cross Infection
Genes, vif
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Methicillin Resistance*
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus*
Oxacillin
Polymerase Chain Reaction*
Staphylococcus
Oxacillin