title: Epidemiology of coagulase-negative Staphylococci isolated from clinical blood specimens at the University Hospital of the West Indies.
abstract: The prevalence and significance of coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolated from blood cultures at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) during a six-month period were investigated. Standard and automated microbiological procedures were used to process 3001 blood culture specimens received from 2363 patients and 658 (21.9%) of the blood cultures yielded 854 bacterial isolates. The highest prevalence of positive blood cultures (60%) and the lowest prevalence of blood isolates of CoNS (12%) were found in the intensive care unit (ICU). The blood isolates of CoNS were most frequent in the surgical wards (13%) and lowest in obstetrics and gynaecology (2%). High rates of resistance to methicillin, other anti-staphylococcal penicillins, and cephalosporins used in the treatment of CoNS were observed All blood isolates of CoNS (100%) were susceptible to vancomycin. In conclusion, the results show that coagulase-negative staphylococci are the most prevalent bacterial isolates in blood cultures at the UHWI occurring mostly as contaminants. The practice of proper venepuncture and hand-washing techniques by medical staff are recommended to facilitate appropriate antibiotic usage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica, West Indies. peakpaka@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Akpaka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Bodonaik
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Smikle
mesh_terms: D003030:Coagulase; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D003030:Coagulase