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Evaluation of a commercial MRSA assay when multiple MRSA strains are causing epidemics

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Abstract

Rapid and reliable diagnostic methods are needed to control methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission. We studied the BD GeneOhm™ MRSA Assay which is based on one specific amplification product at the junction of the right extremity sequence of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) and the chromosomal sequence of orfX of S. aureus. The test was applied on 95 clinical isolates in Finland: 83% were positive. The isolates giving negative results represented several pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types and harboured SCCmec types IV, V, VI or were new types with different combinations of ccr genes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bacteriology, Division of Clinical Microbiology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 400 (Haartmaninkatu 3), 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland

    S. Sissonen, T. Pasanen, E. Tarkka, M. Vaara & P. Tissari

  2. National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300, Helsinki, Finland

    S. Salmenlinna & J. Vuopio-Varkila

Authors
  1. S. Sissonen
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  2. T. Pasanen
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  3. S. Salmenlinna
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  4. J. Vuopio-Varkila
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  5. E. Tarkka
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  6. M. Vaara
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  7. P. Tissari
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Correspondence to P. Tissari.

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Sissonen, S., Pasanen, T., Salmenlinna, S. et al. Evaluation of a commercial MRSA assay when multiple MRSA strains are causing epidemics. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 28, 1271–1273 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-009-0771-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-009-0771-z

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