Rapid Detection of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus in Atopic Dermatitis by Using the BD Max StaphSR Assay

Eczematous lesions of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients are known to be a source of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) transmission and might be a reservoir for community-associated methicillin-resistant SA (MRSA). The BD Max StaphSR (BD-SR) is a fully automated, multiplex real-time PCR assay for the direct detection and differentiation of SA and MRSA from nasal swab samples. We evaluated the detection rates of SA and MRSA from skin lesions of outpatients with AD using the BD-SR assay, and determined the usefulness of the BD-SR assay. A total of 244 skin swab samples (skin lesions of 213 outpatients with AD and normal skin of 31 healthy controls) were tested directly by using the BD-SR assay. Of the 213 samples from patients with AD, 69 (32.4%) were positive for SA, 6 (8.7%) of which were positive for MRSA. Only 1 (3.2%) of 31 samples from healthy controls was positive for SA. The BD-SR assay is effective for the rapid detection of SA and MRSA from skin swab samples, which can provide important information for managing patients with AD and preventing the spread of MRSA.