Identification of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Specimens were incubated at 37 °C for 24 h on Blood Agar and Mac-Conkey Agar. Staphylococcal isolates were identified using biochemical and morphological approaches. Multiple biochemical tests for the confirmation of S. aureus were performed on the Gram-positive cocci in clusters detected under a microscope. We identified S. aureus based on the presence of catalase and oxidase as well as coagulase activity and DNase activity in the S. aureus colonies on mannitol salt agar. The results of these biochemical tests were used to identify the organism. Presumptive VRSA confirmed by a Vitek 2 identification card (bioMerieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France) was used for automated strain identification according to the manufacturer’s instructions [37 (link),38 (link)].