Figure 3

The sensitivity of the tube coagulase tests (TCT) for S. aureus varies with plasma species used in the test. Twelve S. aureus strains were inoculated in previously negative blood culture bottles, incubated and when signalling positive subjected to tube coagulase test (TCT) by addition of 75 μL material from inoculated blood cultures bottles positive for S. aureus to 0.5 mL plasma of three species; rabbit (n = 62), horse (n = 62) and human (n = 29). The tubes were incubated at 36°C and observed for coagulation every 15 minutes during the first four hours and then after 24 hours of incubation. The figure shows the amount of positive tests within the different time intervals in percent of total bottles incubated with S. aureus.