What is the definitive test for identifying mrsa bacteria?
It’s true that you do use an MSA plate initially, as this will check for Mannitol fermentation. MSA is selective for salt-tolerant organisms, of which Staphylococcus is one, so it inhibits the growth of other bacteria. Also, Staph Aureus witll ferment meannitol in the medium and turn the PH indicator yellow. Nonpathenogenic Staphs like epidermidermis will not change the color. This, however is only your initial test, because the yellow shows the Presence of Staph Aureus, but not whether it is the resistent strain that cause a Mrsa infection. When you have a positive MSA for Staph Aureus, you then need to conduct the Latex Bead Agglutination Test for Coagulase. You place a drop of the plasma-coated latex beads on a slide, mix in some of your colony with a wooden applicator stick, and rock the slide. If within 60 seconds (usually much more quickly) you see this coagulating, then it is the resistant, or Mrsa strain. So the answer is that the Latex Bead Agglutination Test is the definitive
