Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Test Launched in the U.S.

A simple and cost-effective solution for the identification of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been launched in the United States.

The product, chromID MRSA, recently received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA; Silver Spring, MD, USA) 510(k) clearance for the detection of MRSA, one of the most pervasive sources for high-morbidity healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in U.S. hospitals. It is perfectly adapted for general screening processes in healthcare institutions as it provides unambiguous results with a simple protocol. The presence of MRSA is visually identified by green colored colonies on chromID MRSA chromogenic media after a 24-hour incubation period.

chromID MRSA simplifies the detection of MRSA, enabling more economical implementation of prevention measures. chromID MRSA agar is a selective and differential chromogenic medium for the qualitative detection of nasal colonization of MRSA. The tool aids in the prevention and control of MRSA infections in healthcare settings. A bioMerieux (Durham, NC, USA) product, chromID MRSA has been widely adopted throughout Europe over the past few years.

bioMérieux's objective was to provide customers with a flexible and complete solution to effectively manage MRSA, spanning manual and automated techniques, from culture-based methods to molecular biology. A more comprehensive approach to containing MRSA needs to be taken, involving critical functions such as resistance detection, organism strain typing for outbreak investigations, hygiene, and antibiotic stewardship programs.

Identifying resistance and helping clinicians to obtain clear actionable information so they can begin effective antibiotic therapy as early as possible is an integral part of bioMérieux's recently launched the Solutions to Manage the Antimicrobial Resistance Threat (S.M.A.R.T.) campaign. The initiative promises to create more educational resources for the lab and to provide healthcare professionals with relevant tools to identify, monitor, prevent, and track resistance.

Related Links:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
bioMerieux
Solutions to Manage the Antimicrobial Resistance Threat