New insights into coagulase-negative staphylococci

New method for typing coagulase negative staphylococci.

Biotyping coagulase-negative staphylococci.

The biochemical profiles obtained with Staph-Ident (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) panels were combined with the results of adherence and synergistic hemolysis tests to define biotypes among 1,064 clinical isolates representing eight species of coagulase-negative staphylococci. The 672 isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis were aligned in 69 of 144 potential biotypes in our scheme because...

Coagulase-negative staphylococci.

The definition of the heterogeneous group of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) is still based on diagnostic procedures that fulfill the clinical need to differentiate between Staphylococcus aureus and those staphylococci classified historically as being less or nonpathogenic. Due to patient- and procedure-related changes, CoNS now represent one of the major nosocomial pathogens, with S. e...

New method for detecting slime production by coagulase negative staphylococci.

An alternative method for detecting the production of slime by coagulase negative staphylococci was compared with the routinely used Christensen method on 124 isolates of coagulase negative staphylococci from carriage sites, blood cultures, and infected peritoneal dialysis fluids. The alternative method requires the use of a specially prepared solid medium--brain heart infusion broth, supplemen...

Emergence of teicoplanin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci.

Over a period of 5 years we have recovered 32 clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) exhibiting either decreased levels of susceptibility or true resistance to teicoplanin (MICs, 16 to 128 micrograms/ml); these isolates make up 0.55% of the total CoNS isolated by us. Twenty-nine of the strains were also methicillin resistant, and all were susceptible to vancomycin. Fourtee...