Rapid detection of Staphylococcus aureus using bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay

A bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay (BLEIA) method for detecting protein A- bearing Staphylococcus aureus was developed using biotinylated firefly luci ferase. The BLEIA was able to detect protein A at one pg ml(-1) and 10(3) c fu ml(-1) level of Staph. aureus. The BLEIA showed significant signals with overnight cultures of all 24 Staph. aureus strains, and the BLEIA did not show any significant signals with overnight cultures of all 44 strains of c oagulase-negative staphylococci and the other genus bacteria. After 5 h cul tivation beginning at approximate to 50 cfu ml(-1), the BLEIA was able to d etect all 35 Staph. aureus strains isolated from healthy humans.