Study of coagulase negative staphylococci isolated from blood and CSF cultures

Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CONS) which were considered as laboratory contaminants and normal flora of skin in man, have emerged as opportunistic pathogens. The infection with CONS has been reported since 1950 with increasing frequency and has been implicated as the causative agents of certain categories of patients viz, neonates with sepsis, cardiac patients with prosthetic valves, immunocompromided patients which include end-renal stage disease, and renal transplantation, burns and cancer patient. These are causing problems to clinicians because of their drug resistance. 180 strains of CONS isolated from blood and CSF during the period of 2 years (Jan 1997-Dec 1998) were studied. Not only they were resistant to Penicillin (P), Ampicillin, (Amp), Oxacillin (Ox), but also developing resistance to Vancomycin (Van) which pose a therapeutic problem. So this study was undertaken and this area needs further exploration.