一種耐甲氧西林金黃色葡萄球菌（MRSA）的新型快速檢測方法當日就可以出結果，允許感染控制小組能夠快速做出反應從而防止醫院獲得性感染。

BacLite快速MRSA檢測方法，是由Acolyte生物醫學公司研制開發的。對該檢測方法的最終評估正在3所英國實驗室中進行，顯示該檢測方法能夠在5小時之內完成，而目前使用的微生物學檢測方法需要2天才能夠得到結果。Acolyte生物醫學公司首席執行官Bill Mullen博士說：“我們期望這種檢測方法能夠提在至關重要的時候供快速而價格低廉的篩查方法，有效的對抗MRSA。”

在一項多中心臨床試驗中，1377份鼻拭子的檢測敏感性是93.4%而特異性是95.8%。陰性概率是正確的（陰性預測值）超過99%。

2005年6月《臨床微生物感染》報道的資料顯示：合適的篩查方案能夠減少50%的MRSA。在該項試驗中使用的嚴格的篩查方法是“尋找并摧毀”途徑的堅實后盾，在荷蘭得以成功的實行。在聯合王國，床位占用率極高以及這種超級細菌的感染性極高的菌株，提示傳統篩查方法速度太慢而不能發揮作用。一些英國醫院正在越來越多的使用快速檢測方法來迎接這種挑戰。這種新型BacLike MRSA檢測方法可以幫助他們所作出的努力。

Rapid Test for MRSA
 
A new, rapid test for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) gives same-day results, allowing infection-control teams to act quickly to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired infection.

The BacLite rapid MRSA test was developed by Acolyte Biomedica Ltd. (Porton Down, UK). The final evaluation of the test was made at three UK laboratories and showed that the test can achieve in five hours what current microbiologic methods take two days to deliver. “We expect this test to offer a rapid and cost-effective screening method at an important time in the fight against MRSA,” said Dr. Bill Mullen, CEO of Acolyte Biomedica.

In a multicenter trial of 1,377 nasal swabs, the sensitivity of the test was 93.4% and specificity was 95.8%. The probability that a negative result was correct (negative predictive value) was more than 99%.

Data from a study reported in the June 2005 issue of Clinical Microbial Infections have shown that a properly implemented screening program can reduce MRSA by over 50%. The kind of rigorous surveillance used in the study is the backbone of the “seek and destroy” approach, so successfully used in The Netherlands. In the United Kingdom, the combination of high bed occupancy rates and very infectious strains of the superbug suggests that traditional screening methods may be too slow for maximum effect. Rapid testing is increasingly becoming the method used by some UK hospitals to meet the challenge. The new BacLike MRSA test is designed to aid their effort.