Comparison of the BD GeneOhm Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) PCR Assay to Culture by Use of BBL CHROMagar MRSA for Detection of MRSA in Nasal Surveillance Cultures from an At-Risk Community Population

Abstract

We compared the BD GeneOhm methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) PCR assay to culture with BBL CHROMagar MRSA for nasal surveillance among 602 arrestees from the Baltimore City Jail. The sensitivity and specificity were 88.5% and 91.0%, respectively, and after secondary analysis using enrichment broth, they were 89.0% and 91.7%, respectively. Twenty-three of 42 false-positive PCR lysates contained methicillin-susceptible S. aureus.