[Determination of methicillin resistance in clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus in routine microbiological diagnostics].

The aim of this study was to compare the results of two methods: disc-diffusion test and ATB STAPH 5 (version 2000) test applied for determination of methicillin-resistant staphylococci. One hundred and twenty S. aureus strains isolated from clinical specimens in microbiological laboratory of Medical University in Warsaw were investigated. Identification and drug resistance were determined using automatic ATB Expression System. We compared the results of methicillin-resistant S. aureus detection by disc-diffusion method (oxacillin 1 microg) and ATB STAPH 5; version 2000 (bioMérieux sa). In the case of 116 strains S. aureus identical results were obtained in both methods, 4 strains gave inconsistent results in these two methods. Results that were obtained show that the ATB STAPH 5 (version 2000) test is as useful for routine determination of MRSA and MSSA strains as the disc-diffusion method, and may be used alternatively.