Multiplex PCR for Detection of Genes for <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Enterotoxins, Exfoliative Toxins, Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin 1, and Methicillin Resistance

TLDR

A multiplex PCR assay was developed to detect genes for staphylococcal enterotoxins A–E, toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, exfoliative toxins A and B, and methicillin resistance. The assay uses femA as an internal positive control, combines primers for sea–see and femA in one set and for eta, etb, tst, mecA, and femA in another, and was validated on 176 human *S. aureus* isolates.

Abstract

A multiplex PCR assay for detection of genes for staphylococcal enterotoxins A to E (entA, entB, entC, entD, and entE), toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (tst), exfoliative toxins A and B (etaA and etaB), and intrinsic methicillin resistance (mecA) was developed. Detection of femA was used as an internal positive control. The multiplex PCR assay combined the primers for sea to see and femA in one set and those for eta, etb, tst, mecA, and femA in the other set. Validation of the assay was performed using 176 human isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. This assay offers a very specific, quick, reliable, and inexpensive alternative to conventional PCR assays used in clinical laboratories to identify various staphylococcal toxin genes.