Compositions and methods for detecting methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus

A method of detecting mecA-containing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (mecA-MRSA) in a sample, the method comprising:

• performing an amplifying step comprising contacting the sample with a forward primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, or a complement thereof, and a reverse primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, or a complement thereof, to produce an amplification product if mecA-MRSA is present in the sample;
• performing a hybridizing step comprising contacting the amplification product with one or more detectable mecA-MRSA probes wherein one of the one or more detectable mecA-MRSA probe comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3, or a complement thereof;
• and
• detecting the presence or absence of the amplified amplification product, wherein the presence of the amplified amplification product is indicative of the presence of mecA-MRSA in the sample and wherein the absence of the amplified amplification product is indicative of the absence of mecA-MRSA in the sample.

A method of detecting mecC-containing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (mecC-MRSA) in a sample, the method comprising:

• performing an amplifying step comprising contacting the sample with a forward primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 4 or 5, or a complement thereof, and a reverse primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 6 to produce an amplification product if mecC-MRSA is present in the sample;
• performing a hybridizing step comprising contacting the amplification product with one or more detectable mecC-MRSA probes wherein one of the one or more detectable mecC-MRSA probe comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 7, or a complement thereof;
• and
• detecting the presence or absence of the amplified amplification product, wherein the presence of the amplified amplification product is indicative of the presence of mecC-MRSA in the sample and wherein the absence of the amplified amplification product is indicative of the absence of mecC-MRSA in the sample.

A kit for detecting a nucleic acid of mecA-containing Staphylococcus aureus (mecA-MRSA) comprising:

• a first oligonucleotide comprising a sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, or a complement thereof;
• a second oligonucleotide comprising a sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, or a complement thereof;
• and
• a third detectably labeled oligonucleotide configured to hybridize to an amplicon generated by the first oligonucleotide and the second oligonucleotide, comprising SEQ ID NO:
• 3, or a complement thereof.

A kit for detecting a nucleic acid of mecC-containing Staphylococcus aureus (mecC-MRSA) comprising:

• a first oligonucleotide comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:
• 4 and 5, or a complement thereof;
• a second oligonucleotide comprising a sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 6, or a complement thereof;
• and
• a third detectably labeled oligonucleotide configured to hybridize to an amplicon generated by the first oligonucleotide and the second oligonucleotide, comprising SEQ ID NO:
• 7, or a complement thereof.