Coagulase Negative Staph

Question 1

Virulence Factors

Answer 1

“slime”

Question 2

Mode of transmission

Answer 2

implantation of medical devices such as catheters, shunts, and prosthetic devices

Question 3

Staphylococcus saprohyticus

Answer 3

Habitat: skin and mucosal membranes of the genitourinary tract

• common cause of UTIs in young, sexually active females
• may be found in small #’s in urine cultures, but it’s significant

Question 4

Other Coagulase-Neg Staph

Answer 4

Habitat: skin and mucous membranes

• cause opportunistic infections (wounds, UTI, bacteremia)

Question 5

Staph haemolyticus

Answer 5

• increased incidence of infection with immunocompromised patients
• associated with wound infections, bacteremia, and endocarditis
• some isolates are vancomycin resistant

Question 6

What is the Novobiocin Susceptibility Test?

Answer 6

• used to differentiate coagulase-neg staphylococci from S. saprophyticus from urine samples
• S. saprophyticus is resistant
• other coagulase-neg staphylococci are susceptible (S. epidermidis)