Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Light Scattering Technology-Based Assay for Rapid Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) – Admission Screening of Hospitalized Patients

Rapid MRSA admission screening was assessed using a light scattering–based culture system (HB&L MRSA kit) alongside chromogenic culture and the GeneXpert® PCR platform in a 523-sample clinical evaluation. Across nose and throat swabs (SIGMA-TRANSWAB®) from hospitalised patients, the HB&L system identified the highest number of true positive MRSA cases (9/10 total positives) and demonstrated the best overall balance of sensitivity and specificity, while maintaining a same-day turnaround time of approximately 7 hours. In comparison, GeneXpert® provided the fastest results (3.5 hours) but showed a higher rate of false positives and lower positive predictive value, while chromogenic agar exhibited the lowest sensitivity and longer turnaround times. Overall, the HB&L MRSA system showed strong diagnostic performance in this low-prevalence setting, with improved detection of colonised patients and reduced unnecessary isolation associated with false-positive results on PCR-based screening.