Comparative evaluation of a commercial test for rapid identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The performance and ease of use of the recently introduced MRSA screen test (Denka Seiken Co. Ltd., Japan) for the identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated in comparison with the BBL Crystal MRSA ID System (Becton Dickinson Europe, France). A total of 109 strains of S. aureus, consisting of 57 strains of MecA-negative S. aureus and 52 strains of MecA-positive S. aureus, were tested. With MecA PCR as the gold standard, the MRSA screen test had 98% sensitivity and 98% specificity, whereas the BBL Crystal MRSA ID System had 98% sensitivity and 95% specificity. The simplicity of use and rapid result make the MRSA screen test a valuable tool in the clinical microbiology laboratory pending demonstration of the MecA gene that should still always be done.