Lectin typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

This study reports the patterns of agglutination of 77 clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by 32 commercially available l ectins. Cell suspensions were not pre-treated. Each isolate was cultured on three media: Columbia blood agar, trypticase-soy agar and Chapman Stone ag ar. The lectins agglutinating each isolate varied widely depending on cultu re medium; only five isolates were agglutinated by the same set of lectins regardless of the culture medium used. Lectin typing could be a useful epid emiological tool, but it is necessary to standardise assay conditions (nota bly culture medium) to enable meaningful comparison of the results produced by different research groups or centres.