Pitfalls in the routine diagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Two hundred isolates of Presumed Staphylococcus aureus from routine clinical specimens, collected from two government hospitals in Abha, Saudi Arabia, had their identity verified. We used the tube coagulase test as our gold standard. Twenty (10%) of the isolates were mis-identified. Reliance by the two laboratories on DNase test, Mannitol fermentation reaction and improper performance of the coagulase test, were responsible for the mis-diagnosis.

Key Words: Staphylococcus aureus, diagnosis, pitfalls.

African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.4(1) 2005: 83-86