Staphylococcus epidermidis: A Commensal Emerging As A Pathogen With Increasing Clinical Significance Especially In Nosocomial Infections

摘要

S.epidermidis lives naturally on the skin and mucous membranes. While at one time the appearance of S.epidermidis in clinical material could be dismissed as contamination, it is now one of the most important agents of nosocomial infections especially in immunocompromised individuals, neonates and patients with internal prosthetic devices. In these patients, the infection result from a compromise in both general and local defense mechanism, and inability to clear staphylococci from infected device because of a biofilm on the foreign body surface. Distinguishing, clinically significant pathogenic strains from contaminant strains is one of the major challenges facing clinical microbiologists. Because many isolates are multiply antibiotic resistant, their infections are difficult to treat and can even be fatal. A detailed characterization of isolates of S.epidermidis strains through speciation, genetics and antibiotic susceptibility may be necessary to distinguish infecting from contaminating isolates and to plan suitable therapy.