High rates of infection, mortality, and high costs of treatment due to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by MRSA are a critical issue for healthcare facilities worldwide. In addition, community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) infection has spread in the U.S., feeding the pipeline of infection in hospitals, and underscoring the need for comprehensive infection control programs along with more rapid and reliable MRSA screening methods. In response to this public health issue, an increasing number of states have passed legislation requiring mandatory reporting and/or screening for HAI's.

"The introduction of this new advanced test will expand the options healthcare facilities have for MRSA screening using molecular diagnostic methods," said Lance Peterson, M.D., FASCP, epidemiologist and a founder of the MRSA screening program at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Illinois. "The test showed good sensitivity with minimal hands-on time. Technicians now have the ability to have flexible batch sizes which could make it the cost-effective choice for many hospital laboratories."

SOURCE Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.