Significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from a single blood culture from neonates in intensive care.
BACKGROUND
Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are the most common pathogens of late-onset bacteraemia in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Discriminating true infection from contamination is difficult.


METHODS
To evaluate the significance of a single blood culture yielding CoNS from only one blood culture obtained from NICU infants between July 1999 and November 2000, paired blood cultures were obtained simultaneously from two peripheral sites from infants hospitalised in two NICUs with clinically suspected late-onset sepsis, and a single blood culture was obtained peripherally from infants hospitalised in a third NICU. Demographic data, predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, laboratory data, management and outcome of infants with either paired or single blood cultures yielding CoNS were analysed and compared.


RESULTS
Both blood cultures yielded CoNS during 26 episodes in 24 infants. A single blood culture which grew CoNS from one blood culture was identified during 24 episodes in 23 infants. Except for prior use of an umbilical venous catheter, there was no significant difference between the infants with CoNS isolated from a paired or a single blood culture in terms of demographic characteristics, predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, management and outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no difference in the clinical features of CoNS infection between single and paired CoNS-positive blood cultures.
Huang
Yhu-Chering
YC
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Chang Gung Children's Hospital and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kweishan, Taiwan. ychuang@adm.cgmh.org.tw
Wang
Ying Hsiang
YH
Chou
Yi-Hong
YH
Lien
Rey-In
RI
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D001724:Birth Weight; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods; D003030:Coagulase / Q000378:metabolism; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003030:Coagulase