Detection of mecA- and mecC-Positive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Isolates by the New Xpert MRSA Gen 3 PCR Assay

Karsten Becker; Olivier Denis; Sandrine Roisin; Alexander Mellmann; Evgeny A Idelevich; Dennis Knaack; Sarah van Alen; André Kriegeskorte; Robin Köck; Frieder Schaumburg; Georg Peters; Britta Ballhausen

doi:10.1128/JCM.02081-15

Detection of mecA- and mecC-Positive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Isolates by the New Xpert MRSA Gen 3 PCR Assay

J Clin Microbiol. 2016 Jan;54(1):180-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02081-15. Epub 2015 Oct 21.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany kbecker@uni-muenster.de.
² Staphylococcus National Reference Centre, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
³ Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
⁴ Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.

Abstract

An advanced methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) detection PCR approach targeting SCCmec-orfX along with mecA and mecC was evaluated for S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci. The possession of mecA and/or mecC was correctly confirmed in all cases. All methicillin-susceptible S. aureus strains (n = 98; including staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec element [SCCmec] remnants) and 98.1% of the MRSA strains (n = 160, including 10 mecC-positive MRSA) were accurately categorized.

Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bacteriological Techniques / methods*
Humans
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis*
Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology

Grants and funding

The Xpert MRSA Gen 3 compounds were provided free of charge by Cepheid.