Evaluation of a commercial immunochromatographic assay for rapid routine identification of PBP2a-positive Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci.

Abstract We evaluated the performance of an immunochromatographic assay (PBP2a Culture Colony Test – Alere™), detecting protein-binding penicillin 2a on staphylococci primary isolates in only 6 minutes. The assay is highly sensitive for the direct detection of MRSA on various culture media whereas it requires cefoxitin induction for methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci.