title: Emerging Bacterial Infection: Identification and Clinical Significance of Kocuria Species.
abstract: Recently there have been reports of gram-positive cocci which are morphologically similar to both Staphylococci and the Micrococci. These bacteria have been identified as Kocuria species with the help of automated identification system and other molecular methods including 16S rRNA (ribosomal ribonucleic acid) evaluation. Kocuria belongs to the family Micrococcaceae which also includes Staphylococcus species and Micrococcus species. Isolation and clinical significance of these bacteria from human specimens warrant great caution as it does not necessarily confirm infection due to their ubiquitous presence, and as a normal flora of skin and mucous membranes in human and animals. Most clinical microbiology laboratories ignore such bacteria as laboratory and specimen contaminants. With increasing reports of infections associated with these bacteria, it is now important for clinical microbiologists to identify and enumerate the virulence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of such bacteria and assist clinicians in improving the patient care and management. We review the occurrence and clinical significance of Kocuria species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Venkataramana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Padmavali
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palange
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Ritu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaish
authors.affiliation: Medical Director of Clinical Research, Spine Surgery, Tristate Brain and Spine Institute, United States.
authors.forename: Adnan Bashir
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.affiliation: Microbiology, Chalmeda Anandrao Institute of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Maheshwar Reddy
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Mohan Rao
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bhoomagiri
keywords: kocuria spp; micrococcaceae; staphylococcus; urinary tract infection