MicrobeWorld

Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infections have a fatality risk of 30% to 40%; a narrow window of time is available to administer antibiotic therapy. The MicroPhage MRSA/MSSA Blood Culture Test from MicroPhage, Inc., Longmont, Colo., is the first in vitro diagnostic for direct identification of S. aureus and determination of methicillin resistance and susceptibility from blood cultures. The device’s technology uses bacteriophage amplification to produce a specific and highly antigenic marker to identify the presence of viable bacteria and their response to antibiotics. Testing is completed in five hours or less, two or more days faster than standard testing.