Evaluation of Three Phenotypic Tests vs. Duplex (coa & mecA) PCR for Detection of Methicillin- Resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and S. epidermidis (MRSE) Strains from Patients with Nosocomial Infections (NI) in Several Mexican Hospitals

Background: Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Staphylococcus epidermidis are a leading cause of
hospital acquired infections worldwide. Epidemiological features have also changed in Mexican
hospitals and either methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Staphylococcus
epidermidis (SERM) infections appear to be an emerging phenomenon.
Aims: The first aim of the present study was to detect the amplification of both pairs, coa and mecA
genes by duplex PCR in MRSA from Mexican patients with NI and the comparison of these results
versus three routinely phenotypic MRSA-detection methods.The second aim of this study was to
apply duplex PCR to exclusively detect the same pair of genes for MRSA or MRSE strains from
patients with NI in several national hospitals.