[Comparison of different phenotypic methods with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of resistance to oxacillin in coagulase negative staphylococci].
The mecA gene which confers the oxacillin resistance has been searched by PCR in 290 (124 positives, 166 negatives) coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) belonging to twelve species. The results were compared with the oxacillin MIC values obtained by agar dilution (4% NaCl) or by the ATB STAPH method (Api-bioMérieux; 0%, 2%, 5% NaCl) and growth inhibitory diameters obtained by agar diffusion with an oxacillin disk placed at 30 degrees C without NaCl, or at 35 degrees C in presence of 2% or 5% NaCl. Sensitivity of oxacillin resistance detection depends upon the salt concentration and the method used. The optimum concentration is 2%. With this concentration, the Api ATB test appears as the more performant (sensitivity: 89.8%). Search for the mecA gene by PCR represents a very interesting method that detects 96.9% of the oxacillin-resistant CNS strains.