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Manipal Journal of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CoNS) are now recognized as the etiological agents of an important range of infections in humans. The increasing importance of CoNS may be due in part to the growing appreciation of this group of organisms as opportunistic pathogens and to the increase in the use of medical devices in seriously ill and immunocompromised patients. The ability of biofilm formation seems to play an essential role in their virulence. CoNS are reservoirs of resistance genes. The similarity of SCCmec regions among Staphylococcus aureus and CoNS suggests horizontal transfer between species of Staphylococci. Hence the methicillin resistant CoNS which are also multidrug resistant act as a reservoir for drug resistance in hospitals. The increasing recognition of pathogenic potential of various species of CoNS and emergence of drug resistance amongst them denotes the need for better laboratory procedures to identify them along with continuous surveillance of their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. Promptness in the detection of resistance pattern is of key importance to ensure appropriate antibiotic treatment in infected patients as well as control the spread of resistance in hospital environments. The usage of newer antimicrobial agents must be limited for the treatment of resistant and life threatening CoNS infections.

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