strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria taken from a vancomycin intermediate resistant culture (VISA). Image: Janice Carr CDC/ Matthew J. Arduino, DRPH. WikimediaStaphylococcus aureus is an important cause of community and hospital acquired infections, responsible for various diseases including mild skin infections (impetigo), wound infections or blood stream infections (toxic shock syndrome).
Rapid detection is especially important where preventive or therapeutic measures are needed (intensive care, surgical interventions...). However, current standard available assays, based on coagulase tests with enriched cells, require several hours of analysis (4-24 h).
CSIC and CIBER-BBN researchers have developed an immunochemical method for specific identification of Staphylococcus aureus caused infections, based on the use of polyclonal antibodies able to selectively detect S. aureus cell wall.
The method might allow medical providers to select more appropriate antibiotics earlier in the course of the infection. It could be used on different immunochemical analytical configurations, including microplate ELISA, test-strip, immunosensors or any other format suitable for further implementation on Point-of-Care (PoC) devices, with better sensitivity and specificity than current methods. Assay validation is being carried out in samples of patients.
Contact:
Isabel Masip, Ph.D.
Institute for Advanced Chemistry
of Catalonia
Deputy Vice-Presidency for
Knowledge Transfer of CSIC
Tel: + 34 – 93 400 61 00
E-mail: