Laboratory Identification of S. aureus

How to Subscribe
MLS & MLT Comprehensive CE Package
Includes 164 CE courses, most popular
$95Add to cart
Pick Your Courses
Up to 8 CE hours
$50Add to cart
Individual course$20Add to cart
Need multiple seats for your university or lab? Get a quote
The page below is a sample from the LabCE course Drug-Resistant Superbugs, Multi-drug Resistant Organisms: MRSA, VRE, Clostridioides difficile, and CRE. Access the complete course and earn ASCLS P.A.C.E.-approved continuing education credits by subscribing online.

Learn more about Drug-Resistant Superbugs, Multi-drug Resistant Organisms: MRSA, VRE, Clostridioides difficile, and CRE (online CE course)
Laboratory Identification of S. aureus

A clinical isolate is presumptively identified as S. aureus by means of several simple procedures:
Gram stain: Gram-positive cocci, occurring singly, in pairs, or "bunches of grapes."
Catalase test: Staphylococci are catalase-positive, distinguishing them from streptococci which are catalase-negative.
Coagulase test: S. aureus is coagulase-positive.
DNAse test: S. aureus is DNAse-positive.
Heat stable endonuclease: S. aureus is positive.
There are also many commercial kits available for identification of S. aureus based on latex agglutination.