COAGULASE-NEGATIVE STAPHYLOCOCCI: Role as Pathogens

• Published in: Annual review of medicine Vol. 50; no. 1; pp. 223 - 236
• Main Authors: Huebner, MD, Johannes, Goldmann, MD, Donald A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palo Alto, CA 94303-0139 Annual Reviews 01.01.1999; 4139 El Camino Way, P.O. Box 10139 Annual Reviews, Inc; USA
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; antibiotic therapy; Antibiotics; Bacteremia - microbiology; Bacterial Adhesion - physiology; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial endocarditis, myocarditis and pericarditis. Bacterial diseases of the aorta, limb vessels and lymphatic vessels; Biological and medical sciences; Catheters, Indwelling - microbiology; Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts - adverse effects; Coagulase - analysis; Cross Infection - microbiology; device-related infections; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Drug Resistance, Multiple; Endocarditis; Endocarditis, Bacterial - microbiology; endophthalmitis; Endophthalmitis - microbiology; Equipment Contamination; Heart Valve Prosthesis - microbiology; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Incidence; Infectious diseases; Injections, Intravenous; Medical sciences; Nosocomial infections; Pathogenesis; Pathogens; Polysaccharides, Bacterial - physiology; Prostheses; Prosthesis-Related Infections - microbiology; shunt infection; Skin; Staphylococcal Infections; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus - classification; Staphylococcus - enzymology; Staphylococcus - pathogenicity; Staphylococcus infections; Urinary tract diseases; Urinary tract infections; Urinary Tract Infections - microbiology; Urogenital system; Virulence; Kidney disease; Human; Urinary system disease; Pathogenesis; Cardiovascular disease; Uvea disease; Infection; Eye disease; Antibiotic; Chemotherapy; Nephropathy; Heart disease; Endocardial disease; Endocarditis; Bacteriosis; Staphylococcal infection; Endophtalmitis; Bibliographic review
• ISSN: 0066-4219; 1545-326X
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev.med.50.1.223

Coagulase-negative staphylococci have long been regarded as apathogenic but their important role as pathogens and their increasing incidence have been recognized and studied in recent years. Although specific virulence factors are not as clearly established as they are in Staphylococcus aureus , it seems clear that factors such as bacterial polysaccharide components are involved in attachment and/or persistence of bacteria on foreign materials. Coagulase-negative staphylococci are by far the most common cause of bacteremia related to indwelling devices. Most of these infections are hospital-acquired, and studies over the past several years suggest that they are often caused by strains that are transmitted among hospitalized patients. Other important infections due to coagulase-negative staphylococci include central nervous system shunt infections, native or prosthetic valve endocarditis, urinary tract infections, and endophthalmitis. Intravenous treatment of systemic infections is usually required because coagulase-negative staphylococci have become increasingly resistant to multiple antibiotics.