Pathogens
Staphylococcus, coagulase negative (epidermidis, haemolyticus)

Staphylococcus, coagulase negative (epidermidis, haemolyticus)

Precautions

Standard Precautions

General Information

Gram positive cocci in clusters, coagulase-negative.

Ubiquitous - skin organism.

Most commonly a skin contaminant/colonizer.

The most common contaminant of blood cultures.

This may be a real pathogen particularly in nosocomial setting.

Disease manifestations include infections of prosthetic materials including:

  • Prosthetic valve endocarditis
  • Vascular catheter infections
  • Prosthetic joints

Staphylococcus saphrophyticus causes UTI in young females.

Staphylococcus lugdenensis acts more like Staphylococcus aureus and is more virulent than other CoNS - should be respected as a pathogen.