Thermo Scientific Products Detect and Confirm Antibiotic-Resistant Organisms

With continuing concern over antibiotic-resistant organisms, it is vitally important that clinicians have the best information possible about a patient 's illness before prescribing. Thermo Scientific has a range of products that can be used to detect and confirm antibiotic-resistant infections such as MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus), VRSA (Vancomycin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and VRE (Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci) so that the most appropriate course of treatment can be instigated as rapidly as possible.

Many hospitals routinely screen patients for MRSA and use Thermo Scientific's ORSAB (Oxacillin Resistant Screening Agar Base) for the detection of the organism from swab samples. ORSAB provides exactly the right conditions for MRSA to grow and so even if it is present in low numbers it can be recovered and detected. Laboratories find ORSAB particularly simple to use - if MRSA colonies are present they turn an intense blue colour (see picture) making visual identification easy. This is of particular significance when a large number of samples are examined as part of a hospital's screening programme.

Once MRSA has been detected, confirmation can be undertaken using Thermo Scientific's PBP2' Latex Agglutination Kit. The test confirms the presence of Penicillin Binding Protein (PBP2' - the protein encoded by the MecA gene in MRSA). Sample is simply added to a card onto which latex particles sensitized with a monoclonal antibody against PBP2' are pre-dried. If MRSA is present the latex will agglutinate into easily visible clumps.

Thermo Scientific's culture media are used in the detection of Vancomycin-resistant organisms. Brain Heart Infusion Agar medium and vancomycin supplement can be used for the detection of vancomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Thermo Scientific VRE selective medium has been specially formulated for the detection of vancomycin resistant enterococci.