Urinary infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci in a teaching hospital.
In the eight-month period of study of all urine samples processed in our routine laboratory, only 85 out of 12 152 specimens yielded a bacteriologically significant growth of either Staphylococcus epidermidis or micrococci. Their growth on MacConkey medium was strictly comparable to that on cysteine lactose electrolyte-deficient (CLED) media. Most micrococci isolated were from urine samples of non hospitalised women patients, were resistant to a novobiocin (5 micrograms) disc, and belonged to Baird Parker type 3. Staph. epidermidis came mainly from postoperative surgical in-patients. Their antibiotic sensitivity patterns are variable whereas micrococci are fully sensitive to all urinary antibiotics. We agree that the use of a novobiocin (5 micrograms) disc for provisional identification of micrococci and Staph. epidermidis is simple and practical for a busy routine diagnostic laboratory. The use of more extensive systems to biotype these organisms in a routine laboratory is not practical and not relevant to patient management.
D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000382:microbiology*; D003030:Coagulase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology
D003030:Coagulase