DETECTION OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL-ENTEROTOXIN-B AND TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME TOXIN - PCR VERSUS CONVENTIONAL METHODS

An equal accuracy of commercially available kits, i.e. the reverse pas sive latex agglutination test (RPLA-Oxoid) and the Enzyme-Linked Immun osorbent Assay (SET-EIA Riedel Haen, Germany) to identify the presence of the staphylococcal enterotoxin B and the toxic shock syndrome toxi n TSST-1 as well as the PCR-technique to detect the presence of the se b and tst-genes was demonstrated in 18 Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Selection of a primer pair from the etb gene sequence allowing simult anously detection of the etb and tst-genes in S. aureus using a rapid DNA extraction method is emphasized.