Comparison of Slime-producing Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus Colonization Rates on Vinyl and Ceramic Tile Flooring Materials

• Published in: Journal of international medical research Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 668 - 673
• Main Authors: Yazgi, H, Uyanik, MH, Ayyildiz, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.05.2009
• Subjects: Ceramics - pharmacology; Coagulase - metabolism; Colony Count, Microbial; Construction Materials - microbiology; Floors and Floorcoverings; Staphylococcus - drug effects; Staphylococcus - enzymology; Staphylococcus - isolation & purification; Vinyl Compounds - pharmacology; Nosocomial infection; Methycillin-sensitive Staphylococcus; Vinyl; Methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus; Ceramic tile; Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus; Slime
• ISSN: 0300-0605; 1473-2300
• DOI: 10.1177/147323000903700309

This study investigated the colonization of slime-producing coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) in 80 patient wards in Turkey (40 vinyl and 40 ceramic tile floors). A total of 480 samples that included 557 CoNS isolates were obtained. Slime production was investigated with the Christensen method and methicillin-susceptibility was tested by the diskdiffusion method. There was a significant difference in the percentage of slime-producing CoNS isolates on vinyl (12.4%) versus ceramic tile flooring (4.4%). From vinyl flooring, the percentage of slime producing methicillin-resistant CoNS (MRCoNS) (8.9%) was significantly higher than for methicillin-sensitive CoNS (MSCoNS) (3.6%), whereas there was no difference from ceramic tile flooring (2.5% MRCoNS versus 1.8% MSCoNS). The most commonly isolated slime-producing CoNS species was S. epidermidis on both types of flooring. It is concluded that vinyl flooring seems to be a more suitable colonization surface for slime-producing CoNS than ceramic tile floors. Further studies are needed to investigate bacterial strains colonized on flooring materials, which are potential pathogens for nosocomial infections.