Rapid detection of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin resistance in bone and joint infection samples: evaluation of the GeneXpert MRSA/SA SSTI assay.

The GeneXpert MRSA/SA SSTI assay was compared to conventional cultures to detect Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistance from 91 bone and joint infection samples. Sensitivity and specificity were 94.4% and 100%. Three false-positive results were observed, in fact providing from patients known to be infected by S. aureus on the basis of other concomitant osteoarticular samples, which suggests that PCR was more sensitive than culture. This diagnosis accuracy may help shorten toxic and non-optimal empirical therapies such as glycopeptides in case of methicillin-susceptible strains.