Patent ID: 7838221

Claim:
A method to detect the presence of an MREJ type xiii methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain comprising: contacting a first primer and a second primer with a sample to be analyzed for the presence of said MREJ type xiii MRSA strain, said MREJ type xiii MRSA strain including a Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) element containing a mecA gene inserted into chromosomal DNA, thereby generating a polymorphic right extremity junction (MREJ) type xiii sequence that comprises sequences from both the SCCmec element right extremity and chromosomal DNA adjoining said right extremity, wherein said first and second primers are at least 10 nucleotides in length, and wherein said first primer is specific for and hybridizes with said SCCmec element right extremity of an MREJ type xiii sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 15, 25 and 26 and complements thereof, and wherein said second primer hybridizes with a chromosomal sequence of S. aureus, wherein said first primer and said second primer together generate a first amplicon that spans the mec right extremity junction of MREJ type xiii sequences under amplification conditions only if said MREJ type xiii MRSA strain is present in the sample; and wherein said contacting of said first primer and said second primer takes place under annealing conditions wherein generating and detecting the presence of said first amplicon as indicative of the presence of said MREJ type xiii MRSA strain in the sample.