Endocarditis due to coagulase-negative staphylococci. Microbiologic, epidemiologic, and clinical considerations.
Coagulase-negative staphylococci are the most frequently isolated pathogens in prosthetic valve endocarditis and cause 5% of infections involving native valves. Distinguishing contamination from bacteremia may be challenging. The presence of heteroresistance in many strains makes rigorous susceptibility testing a requirement for selecting appropriate antibiotic selection. Infection is frequently complicated by valvular insufficiency with congestive heart failure, local tissue invasion or synthetic embolization, making surgical intervention necessary in many cases.
Whitener
C
C
Division of Infectious Diseases, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey.
Caputo
G M
GM
Weitekamp
M R
MR
Karchmer
A W
AW
D003030:Coagulase / Q000378:metabolism; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*
D003030:Coagulase