Laboratory maintenance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Staphylococcus aureus is an important bacterial pathogen in the hospital and community settings, especially Staphylococcus aureus clones that exhibit methicillin-resistance (MRSA). Many strains of S. aureus are utilized in the laboratory, underscoring the genetic differences inherent in clinical isolates. S. aureus grows quickly at 37°C with aeration in rich media (e.g., BHI) and exhibits a preference for glycolytic carbon sources. Furthermore, S. aureus has a gold pigmentation, exhibits β-hemolysis, and is catalase and coagulase positive. The four basic laboratory protocols presented in this unit describe how to culture S. aureus on liquid and solid media, how to identify S. aureus strains as methicillin resistant, and how to generate a freezer stock of S. aureus for long-term storage.