title: Routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from blood cultures: is it necessary?
abstract: The clinical significance of discontinuing routine antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) isolates from blood cultures was investigated. Prospectively, AST was requested primarily for patients with serious underlying illnesses. Antibiotic use did not change significantly when AST was not performed routinely. Laboratory cost savings were 75% if AST was not performed, but more specimens were submitted from these patients. Oxacillin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci from blood cultures has remained > 70% since implementation of this protocol, while annual vancomycin utilisation has shown only small, incremental increases. Therefore, it is suggested that routine AST of CNS isolates from blood culture is not essential.
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Laboratory, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: A U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Chandran
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rennie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003030:Coagulase / Q000032:analysis; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D003030:Coagulase; D003470:Culture Media