UPDATE 1-Cepheid says bacterial infection test gets FDA nod

* Says detects bacteria in less than an hour

* Test for SA/MRSA bacteria * To begin shipping this month

* Shares up 6 pct pre-market

June 8 (Reuters) - Cepheid (CPHD.O) said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its diagnostic test to detect and differentiate two infection-causing bacteria in less than an hour.

The company said the test, XpertSA Nasal Complete, will simultaneously help detect and differentiate both Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization.

SA is responsible for causing various skin infections, while MRSA is a multi-drug resistant bacteria that can cause several difficult-to-treat infections.

Cepheid said the new test would help cut medical costs by curbing post-surgical infections.

The test runs on the company's GeneXpert system, used in molecular analysis, the company said.

Cepheid expects to begin shipping of the test this month.

Shares of Cepheid were up about 6 percent at $17.49 in Tuesday pre-market trade. They closed at $16.49 Monday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Krishnakali Sengupta in Bangalore; Editing by Don Sebastian)