I am looking for ways in which you screen samples from human sources for
mrsa.Please let me know your method..I will publish the findings back into
the news group in 2 weeks time......Thanks......cliffsa...@bigfoot.com

The samples can be collected by swab and inoculated to blood agar plates. Test
suspicious colonies for coagulase production with either a latex agglutination
test or tube coagulase test. Those testing positive can be inoculated to a MRSA
plate which  which incorporates oxacillin . Growth on such a plate is
indicative of a methicillin resistant strain of S. aureus.

Screening test are very standardized and are included in most any
diagnostic microbiology text e.g. Bailey and Scott.

Refer to Clin Micro Procdures Handbook (Publ of ASM) for explicit
instructions and QC (very important) OR
to Koneman et al Color Atlas and Textbook of Diagnostic Microbiology for
alternative procedures using disk diffusion.
I can't stress the importance of QC enough, otherwise if your oxacillin
is weakening you will think you have MRSA when you merely have decreased
potency disks.

Email me if you want more specific directions.
Good luck.
hendri...@biosys.net
If you don't have a copy, feel free to email me and I can fax you copies
of pages.

1) First you should have already isolated the Staph. aureus
and confirmed ID using immunological methods or coagulase methods
2)  You can purchase agar plates w/ oxacillin incorporated into them
(check Remel, Lenexa, KS) or use oxacillin discs