MULTIPLEX PCR ASSAY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF USA300 AND USA400 COMMUNITY-ASSOCIATED METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCAL AUREUS STRAINS

摘要

The present invention relates to multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for Staphylococcus aureus typing. In particular, the invention relates to identification, detection and classification of US A300 and USA400 strains, the predominant community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains in North America, as well as other strains, and simultaneous detection of PVL genes and discrimination of MRSA from methicillin- susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and S. aureus from coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS).