[The usefulness of three rapid commercially-available tests for the identification of Staphylococcus aureus strains...

3 commercially available tests STAPHYSLIDE (api bio Mérieux), STAPHYLASE (Oxoid) and STAPHAUREX-D (Welcome) for identification of Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated by 110 coagulase-positive S. aureus strains and 40 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus strains, isolated from various materials of different animal species. STAPHYSLIDE showed a sensitivity of 53.6% and a specificity of 97.5%, STAPHAUREX-D 56.4% respectively 85% and STAPHYLASE 32.7% respectively 100%. The possible reasons for the weak results of these 3 tests well established in bacteriology of human medicine by use in veterinary bacteriology are discussed.