Rapid screening for Staphylococcus aureus infection by measuring enterotoxin B.

We developed a simple, sensitive laser nephelometric assay (LNA) to detect circulating staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). This assay yields the result within 2 h and needs no special treatment. Influence of protein A, a product generated by Staphylococcus aureus, was negligible in this assay. The levels of SEB in plasma were measured in 28 patients with and without S. aureus infection with the LNA. The levels of SEB in plasma increased significantly in patients with S. aureus infection. We also demonstrated that the levels of SEB in plasma were higher in patients with methicillin-resistant S. aureus infection than in patients with nonresistant staphylococcal infection. Our data indicate that LNA is a useful assay in the early diagnosis of methicillin-resistant S. aureus infection.