New aspects of staphylococcal infections: emergence of coagulase-negative staphylococci as pathogens

Abstract

In contrast to the well-established pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, the coagulase-negative staphylococci, formerly collectively called S. epidermidis, were until recently regarded as harmless commensals. During the last two decades, however, the coagulase-negative staphylococci have clearly emerged as pathogens in patients carrying artificial devices, such as prosthetic heart valves, hip prostheses and cerebrospinal fluid shunts, and in patients with compromised host defenses such as premature neonates and cancer and transplant patients. The present paper reviews current insights on classification, bacteriology, pathogenic potential and virulence factors of coagulase-negative staphylococci. In addition, the role of host defense factors in resistance to staphylococcal infection is summarized as well as the main features of the clinical syndromes in which coagulase-negative staphylococci are involved.

Development of Real‐Time In Vivo Imaging of Device‐RelatedStaphylococcus epidermidisInfection in Mice and Influence of Animal Immune Status on Susceptibility to Infection

“…Importantly, BLI and viable counts (CFUs) data showed that both immune-compromised mice strains were more susceptible towards S. epidermidis biofilm infections with Nu/Nu being the most susceptible of all tested strains. Our data clearly support the clinical evidence (5, 6, 28) that patients with immune deficiency are more susceptible to S. epidermidis biofilm-associated infection.…”

Comparative virulence of human isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci tested in an infant mouse weight retardation model

“…In most human infections, the rank order of the frequencies of occurrence as pathogens of the eight predominant species of coagulase-negative staphylococci is similar to the rank order of the cutaneous population density of each (6,14,25). Thus, the most common coagulase-negative staphylococcus pathogen, S. epidermidis, typically produces the largest coagulase-negative staphylococcus populations on human epidermis.…”

Study of virulence factors in coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from newborns

“…In the 1990s, CNS appeared as the main cause of sepsis in neonatal intensive care units, with an incidence of 33 to 55% among very low birthweight infants (< 1500 g) (Kacica et al 1994). The occurrence of CNS in neonatal intensive care units has been attributed to the higher survival rates of premature low birthweight newborns and to procedures such as the use of vascular catheters, parenteral nutrition, mechanical ventilation, and prolonged hospital stays (Fleer & Verhoef 1984).…”