- Used to differentiate Staphylococcus aureus from less pathogenic coagulase-negative staphylococci
- Tests for the ability of the organism to convert fibrinogen into fibrin (that is, to form a clot)
- Slide coagulase
- Checks for agglutination after a drop of plasma is combined with a suspension of the bacteria on a slide
- Positive if clumping is apparent within 10 seconds or less, and no clumping is observed in saline or water
- A few species of coagulase-negative staphylococci may be positive due to membrane-bound clumping factor, including Staphylococcus lugdenensis and Staphylococcus intermedius
- Staphylococcus aureus is negative in 15% of tests, especially MRSA, so negative results need to be confirmed with tube coagulase
- Tube coagulase
- Mix a heavy inoculum of bacteria into a tube filled with rabbit plasma
- Positive if clot is formed within 4 hours when incubated at 37ºC
- A few species of Coagulase-negative staphylococci may be positive
