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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jcp.2008.055681v1 61/7/866    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Google Scholar Articles by Carey, B E Articles by Nicol, L PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Carey, B E Articles by Nicol, L

The combined oxacillin resistance and coagulase (CORC) test for rapid identification and prediction of oxacillin resistance in Staphylococcus species directly from blood culture

Department of Microbiology, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Correspondence to:
Dr B E Carey, Department of Microbiology, Waterford Regional Hospital, Dunmore Road, Waterford, Ireland; bryanc1007{at}hotmail.com

ABSTRACT
The combined oxacillin resistance and coagulase (CORC) protocol for rapid identification and determination of oxacillin-susceptibility in Staphylococcus spp from blood culture is described. It incorporates a modified direct tube coagulase test (TCT) and a novel 4-hour multiplication-induction step, which increases the expression of staphylococcal PBP2a if present, facilitating detection by a commercial PBP2a latex agglutination kit. The protocol shows excellent sensitivity and specificity for determination of coagulase-positivity in staphylococci from patient blood cultures (96.8% (95% CI 81.5 to 99.8) and 100% (95% CI 75.9 to 100), respectively, n = 47), and for prediction of oxacillin resistance in S aureus directly from patient blood cultures (100% (95% CI 59.8 to 100) and 100% (95% CI 82.2 to 100), respectively (100% accuracy), n = 31) within 5 hours of blood culture positivity.