Abstract
The need for rapid methods in order to precisely detect methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is extensively
acknowledged. This study evaluated a quantitative real-time PCR assay targeting mecA (encoding high level resistance to
methicillin) and
femB
(a specific genomic marker for
S. aureus
) genes to detect MRSA from broth culture, from serum seeded with
MRSA and straight from the patient's serum. One hundred and thirty-five clinical isolates of MRSA strains and different species
were utilised in this study. In addition, a pilot study with 9 patients' serum samples was performed. The sensitivity and specificity
values for this assay were 99% and 100% respectively. The detection limit for this method was 1.23×10
2
CFU/ml from the serum
seeded with MRSA cells and the limiting concentration of DNA for detection was 18 fg, which equates to 5.14 genomic DNA
copies. In addition, this assay detected MRSA from patient's serum (7 out of 9) with sensitivity of 77.8%. Overall, the assay was
rapid, efficient, sensitive and easy to perform.