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Oxoid Extends Range for Identification of Staphylococcal Species

Oxoid has announced the launch of the Remel RapID™ STAPH PLUS (product code: 8311009) for the biochemical identification of Staphylococcus species and related organisms isolated from human clinical specimens. This rapid and convenient manual identification system offers clinical laboratories of any size a valuable new diagnostic tool for an important group of opportunistic pathogens, with results in only 4 hours. The RapID STAPH PLUS panel incorporates a series of 18 carefully selected biochemical tests directed towards this group of organisms. The novel, one-step, inoculation method allows all of the test wells to be inoculated simultaneously, saving time and simplifying the procedure. The panel is then incubated aerobically for just 4 hours. The clearly visible colour reactions are easy to read and are used to identify the test organism. Each of the tests in the panel is interpreted using the RapID STAPH PLUS Colour Guide which aids in the generation of a numerical microcode. The microcode is entered into the Windows®-based ERIC™ (Electronic RapID Compendium) software for organism identification. This user-friendly package contains a comprehensive database of 40 medically important Staphylococcus species and related organisms, and ranks identifications by probability (greater than 95% probability is required for species level identification), ensuring excellent accuracy and reliability. RapID STAPH PLUS can be used to identify Staphylococcus aureus and over 30 species of coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) in addition to other related organisms. CNS are an increasingly important cause of hospital acquired infections. They are the most common causal agents of bacteraemia in patients with indwelling medical devices and are one of the most prevalent causes of blood stream infections in paediatric patients. With up to 80% of hospital-acquired CNS infections being methicillin resistant, and many species being multiple-resistant to antimicrobials, a rapid and accurate identification is important to help direct appropriate antibiotic therapy. Julie Elston, clinical products application manager at Oxoid, comments, “ The serious nature of bacteraemia means that there is little time to spare in determining the best course of action. Long delays simply aren';t acceptable and, as a result, the empiric use of agents such as vancomycin is common. RapID STAPH PLUS gives rapid, same-day results, allowing appropriate therapy to be determined more quickly and providing an opportunity for the use of vancomycin to be restricted to only when it is absolutely necessary.” The RapID range includes products for the identification of oxidase negative Enterobacteriaceae, anaerobic bacteria, Gram-negative glucose non-fermenters, Corynebacterium species, Neisseria and Haemophilus common in urinary infections, yeasts and related organisms and streptococci and related organisms. The RapID method is favoured for providing rapid, same-day results1,2,3 (compared to alternative methods that require 18-72 hours) and for being non-automated, allowing even smaller routine microbiology laboratories to adopt this method easily1. References: 1: Kitch, T.T., Jacobs, M.R. and Appelbaum, P.C. (1992) J.C.M. 30(5):1267-1270 2: Vossler, J. and Roberts, D. (1993) ICAAC Abstract. 3: Kitch, T.T., Jacobs, M.R., McGinnis, M.R. and Appelbaum, P.C. (1996) J.C.M 34(5):1069-1071 RapID STAPH PLUS is manufactured by Remel and is marketed by Oxoid throughout the world, except in the USA. Oxoid and Remel are part of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science.