[Comparing standard microbiological methods for identification of Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA with the automated BD MAXTM StaphSR system].

Abstract

Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is part of the human microbiota, but at the same time, it is capable of causing a wide range of diseases. Due to the ever-increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents and the existence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, there is a real possibility of carrying even this resistant bacterium, which can subsequently cause a severe infection. MRSA detection is part of microbiological examination procedures, and it is appropriate to use rapid methods for its identification, especially in high-risk patients.

Material and methods: Clinical samples from the respiratory tract of patients from the Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Medicine, and the Third Internal Medicine Department of the University Hospital Olomouc were included in this study. These were processed simultaneously using standard microbiological methods and the automated BD MAXTM system, designed for qualitative detection of bacteria directly from clinical samples using real-time PCR.

Results: Standard microbiological methods identified S. aureus in 7 % and MRSA in 1 % of respiratory samples tested. Using the automated BD MAXTM system with the StaphSR kit, S. aureus DNA was detected in 28 % of samples and MRSA DNA in 2 % of samples.

Conclusion: Direct testing of clinical samples using the BD MAXTM StaphSR system can aid in the prevention and control of infections caused by S. aureus and MRSA, especially in healthcare facilities. An important advantage of this system is that the result is available on the same day that the clinical material is delivered for microbiological testing.