Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
Published on: May 8, 2013
Comparison of mecA polymerase chain reaction with phenotypic methods for the detection of methicillin-resistant
M M Baddour1, M M AbuElKheir, A J Fatani
1Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. mbaddour@ksu.edu.sa
Abstract:
In the present study, several conventional methods to detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were compared with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of mecA gene-positive isolates. Cefoxitin E-test was also evaluated as a possible phenotypic method of MRSA detection. Oxacillin agar screen and PBP2' latex agglutination methods were found to be more sensitive than oxacillin and cefoxitin disk-diffusion methods. Cefoxitin disk diffusion was found to be the most specific. A combination of oxacillin agar screening with cefoxitin disk diffusion, or oxacillin disk diffusion with PBP2', improved sensitivity and specificity. Cefoxitin E-test with the current break points had low sensitivity and specificity (33.3% and 75%, respectively) for the detection of MRSA. However, changing the break points to
Related Concept Videos
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Methods of Classification and Identification
Rapid Identification of Pathogens
Modern Molecular Taxonomy
