RapidandDirect Staphylocoagulase AssayThatUsesa Chromogenie Substrate forIdentification ofStaphylococcus aureus

thatuseschromogenic substrate Chromozym TH wasdeveloped fortheroutine identification ofStaphylococcus aureus. False-positive andfalse-negative reactions wereeliminated bymeasuring theactivity ofthestaphylocoagulase-prothrombin complex directly. Themethod wascompared withthree clotting assays. Theresults showthatthenewassay is specific, quantitative, andeasily automated. Itoffers clinical laboratories amore reliable assay ofstaphylocoagulase andisavaluable aidfortherapid identification ofS.aureus. Theability toproduce staphylocoagulase is themostwidely usedandgenerally accepted criterion foridentification ofStaphylococcus aureus(3,12). Mostclinical laboratories perform astaphylocoagulase assay thatisbased onthe ability oftheenzyme toclot plasma. Theclotting action ofstaphylocoagulase isduetoaspecific