[Skip to Content](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#main-content) [![MilliporeSigma](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/static/logos/purple/millipore_sigma.svg)](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en) Products Cart0 USEN Products [Login / Register](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/oidc-sign-in) [Order Lookup](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/order-lookup) [Quick Order](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/quick-order) Cart0 [Home](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en)[Bacteriology](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/applications/clinical-testing-and-diagnostics-manufacturing/bacteriology)Media for *Staphylococcus Aureus* Detection # Media for *Staphylococcus Aureus* Detection __Jvo Siegrist__ *AnalytiX Volume 10 Article 2* [ivo.siegrist@sial.com](mailto:ivo.siegrist@sial.com) ### Read more about - [About *Staphylococcus Aureus* Detection](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#about) - [Product Listings](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#products) - [Test for detection and identification of Staphylococcus aureus](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#table-1)[](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#table-1) - [](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#table-1)[Media for detection and identification of Staphylococcus aureus](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#table-2) - [References](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#references) *Staphylococcus aureus is frequently a part of our skin flora but is also a cause of a broad range of illnesses. Current studies report a remarkable increase of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) over recent years.* Staphylococci may be airborne and can occur in both animals and humans, in sewage, water, milk or food, and on environmental surfaces or food equipment. It is still one of the five most common causes of nosocomial infections, often causing postsurgical wound infections. Consequently, it poses a major concern in hospitals, especially in regard to MRSA, methicillin-resistant *Staphylococcus aureus.* *[](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com)Staphylococcus aureus* is an invasive pathogen that can cause disease in almost any tissue or organ in the human body, primarily in compromised individuals. Staphylococcal infections were treated using penicillin, but over the years this pathogen developed resistance to penicillin by building penicillinase. Methicillin was the next drug of choice as it is not cleaved by the penicillinase. While methicillin is very eff ective in treating most *Staphylococcus* infections, some strains have developed resistance to methicillin by production of penicillin-binding protein, and can no longer be killed by this antibiotic. These resistant bacteria are called Methicillin Resistant *Staphylococcus aureus* (MRSA)1. Patients with breaks in their skin due to wounds, indwelling catheters or burns are at high risk of developing MRSA infection 2. Spread of MRSA infections can be controlled to a great extent by maintaining personal hygiene after interaction with an MRSA-infected person1. Today there are many innovative solutions to detect MRSA. We strongly support the microbiologist with a selective chromogenic HiCrome MeReSa Agar for detection of MRSA from clinical isolates and other samples. The proprietary chromogenic mixture incorporated in the medium is specifi cally cleaved by *S. aureus* to give bluish-green colonies on this medium and can be clearly diff erentiated from other species. The medium is made selective for MRSA by the addition of methicillin. ## Product Listings Sorry, an unexpected error has occurred Response not successful: Received status code 500 * * * ![A graphic panel with a heading ‘Did you know?’ featuring a microscopic image of clusters of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The bacteria appear as blue, ball-shaped structures grouped together, resembling bunches of grapes](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/content/dam/cms-commons/sigmaaldrich/marketing/global/images/technical-documents/articles/clinical-and-diagnostics/bacteriology/s.gif "Did you know?") Foods that are frequently associated with staphylococcal food poisoning include meat and egg products, milk and dairy products, and various other products that may contain these food ingredients. Processes in the food industry that are kept at slightly elevated temperatures must guard against staphylococcal food poisoning, one of the leading causes of gastroenteritis. The food poisoning is due to the presence of staphylococcal enterotoxins produced by *Staphylococcus aureus* in the food. Staphylococci are facultative anaerobes Gram-positive bacteria that grow by aerobic respiration or by fermentation that yields principally lactic acid. The bacteria are catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. *S. aureus* produce diverse enzymes such as staphylokinase (coagulase), proteases, phopshatase, a lipase, a deoxyribonuclease (DNase) and a fatty acid modifying enzyme (FAME). The majority of clinical isolates of *S. aureus* express special surface polysaccharide and protein A. Diff erentiation and identifi cation of S. aureus can be made based on these biochemical characteristics. More details may be found in the ID flow chart (__Figure 2__), the table of kits and tests ([__Table 1__](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#table-1)), and the table listing media for the differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus ([__Table 2__](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com#table-2)). ![A flowchart depicting the identification process of Gram-positive cocci using a catalase test and growth medium preferences. The chart splits between ‘Catalase positive’ with examples like Staphylococcus aureus, leading to further differentiation based on growth in ‘TSA Deeps’ or ‘Mannitol/High Salt,’ and ‘Catalase negative’ with examples like Streptococcus faecalis, also leading to differentiation based on growth conditions.](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/content/dam/cms-commons/sigmaaldrich/marketing/global/images/technical-documents/articles/clinical-and-diagnostics/bacteriology/id.gif "Gram Positive Cocci") __Figure 2.__ID flow chart for Staphylococus aureus __Table 1__ and __Table 2__ specify characteristics which kits and tests utilise for the identification of *S. aureus.* Kit or TestCat. No.Testing features Catalase Test (Hydrogen peroxide 3%)[88597](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/88597)Testing of catalase production Coagulase Test (Slide)[75832](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/75832)Detection of coagulase Coagulase Test (Tubes)[74226](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/74226)“ Oxidase Reagent acc. Gaby-Hadley A + Oxidase Reagent acc. Gaby-Hadley B[07345](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/07345) [07817](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/07817)Checking presence of Oxidase Oxidase Reagent acc. Gordon-McLeod[18502](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/18502)“ Oxidase Strips[40560](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/40560)“ Oxidase Test[70439](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/70439)“ Staphylo Monotec test kit Plus[50448](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/50448)Coagulase and protein A can be detected in one step (increased sensitivity and specificity compared to the previous Staphylo Monotec test kit, resulting in increased detection of MRSA) Table 1Test for detection and identification of Staphylococcus aureus Identification MediaCat. No.Testing features __Baird Parker Agar__ Supplements: Egg-Yolk Tellurite Emulsion (75208) or RPF Supplement (05939)[11705](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/11705)Detection of lipolytic and proteolytic activity, ability to reduce tellurite to metallic tellurium (EN-ISO 6888-1: 1999); with RPF Supplement the coagulase activity and the ability to reduce tellurite is detected (EN-ISO 6888-2:2000) __Blood Agar__ Supplement: defibrinated blood[70133](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/70133)Detection of β-hemolysis __Blood Agar No. 2__ Supplement: defibrinated blood[B1676](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/B1676)" __Bromo Thymol Blue (B.T.B.) Lactose Agar__[B3676](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/B3676)Differentiated by their ability to grow at a high pH and in the presence of bromo thymol blue (golden yellow colonies) __CLED Agar__[55420](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/55420)Detection of lactose fermentation __Deoxyribonuclease Test Agar__[30787](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/30787) [70136](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/70136)Detection of deoxyribonuclease activity __DNase Test Agar with Toluidine Blue__[D2560](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/D2560)" __Giolitti Cantoni Broth__[48905](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/48905)Ability to reduce tellurite to tellurium and selective conditions __HiCrome™ Aureus Agar Base__ Supplement: Egg-Yolk Tellurite Emulsion (75208)[05662](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/05662)Testing for ability to reduce tellurite to metallic tellurium and detection of lipase and protease by chromogenic substrate; brown-black colonies __HiCrome™ MeReSa Agar Base__ Supplement: MRSA Selective Supplement (51387)[90923](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/90923)Detection by chromogenic substrate mixture specifically cleaved by S. aureus; selective to MRSA; MRSA give bluish-green colonies __China Blue Lactose Agar__[22520](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/22520)Detection of lactose fermentation __Mannitol Salt Agar__[63567](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/63567) [09166](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/09166) (plates)Detection of mannitol fermentation in high sodium chloride concentration __Nutrient Gelatin__[70151](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/70151)Detection of gelatin-liquefying (proteolytic enzymes) __Phenolphthalein Phosphate Agar__[68879](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/68879)Phosphatase detection; pink-red colonies __Spirit Blue Agar__ Supplement: Lipase Substrate (see data sheet)[S4306](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/S4306)Detection and enumeration of lipolytic activity __Staphylococcus Agar__[70193](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/70193)Detection of salt tolerance, pigmentation, D-mannitol utilisation and gelatin liquefaction __Tributyrin Agar__ Supplement: Neutral Tributyrin (91010)[91015](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/91015)Detection and enumeration of lipolytic activity __Vogel-Johnson Agar__ Supplements: Potassium Tellurite 1% (17774)[70195](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/70195)Checking for ability to reduce tellurite to tellurium and ability to ferment mannitol Table 2Media for detection and identification of Staphylococcus aureus ### References 1\. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. \[Internet].\[updated 03 Apr 2018]. Available from: [https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/biol\_hazards/methicillin.html](https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/biol_hazards/methicillin.html) 2\. 2005\. Dr. Alan Johnson, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. . \[Internet]. 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