Rapid screening of MRSA in the USA

Bio-Rad Laboratories has announced the introduction to the US market of its MRSASelect test, a chromogenic medium used for the rapid screening of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)

Bio-Rad received FDA clearance for marketing its MRSASelect test in the USA in September.

With high sensitivity and specificity as well as rapid and direct identification, the MRSASelect test can identify MRSA carriers in 24 hours.

The MRSASelect test was introduced in Canada in 2005 and today it is the market leader there, says Bio-Rad.

MRSA is an infectious bacterial strain that is resistant to antibiotics such as penicillin and methicillin.

According to a summary of data presented in the October 17, 2007 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, MRSA is estimated to have caused more than 94,000 life-threatening infections and approximately 19,000 deaths in the USA in 2005, most of them connected with healthcare settings.

Several states, including Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, are beginning to mandate screening for MRSA in hospitals.

Individuals can become carriers of MRSA by physical contact with (or inhalation of) the organism.

To prevent transmission, the goal is to quickly identify and isolate carriers.

The MRSASelect test will enable laboratories to speed up this process.

The MRSASelect test is performed on nasal specimens from patients and healthcare workers to screen for MRSA colonization.

Chromogenic media are used to grow bacteria in the laboratory and identify them based on a color reaction.

With this media MRSA can be differentiated from other microorganisms.

"The rapid detection time of MRSASelect provides hospitals with the ability to quickly implement appropriate infection control," said Norman Schwartz, Bio-Rad president and CEO.

"This is key to minimising the spread of this pathogen.

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