BACKGROUND Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are one of the most frequent causative agents of neonatal nosocomial infections, especially in premature and low-weight newborns. Risk factors for infection include extracellular polysaccharide production and consequent biofilm formation that permit adhesion to the smooth surface of catheters and other medical devices. The objective of this stu...

The absence of consensus on what should be the ideal dialysate calcium (DCa) concentration in haemodialysis patients is in part explained by the continuously changing therapeutic practice, but also on the scanty evidence that has been produced on this topic. The lack of consistent studies in this field is in part due to a number of methodological limitations for the assessment of both the globa...

The proteins encoded by the intercellular adhesin genes (icaADBC) synthesize the polysaccharide poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG), which contributes to the formation of a biofilm by Staphylococcus aureus. In addition to the proteins that synthesize PNAG, the ica locus also encodes the TetR family transcriptional regulator IcaR (23). The icaR gene is transcribed divergently from icaADBC (10) and i...

20 Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is often associated with pyoderma, which can turn into a life21 threatening disease. The dissemination of highly resistant isolates has occurred in the last 10 22 years and has challenged antimicrobial treatment of these infections considerably. We have 23 compared the carriage of virulence genes and biofilm formation between methicillin-resistant 24 and methi...