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Published on: July 18, 2017
Staphylococcus epidermidis in urine is not always benign: a case report of pyelonephritis in a child
Valentina Lozano1, Gabriela Fernandez2, Patricia L Spencer2
1From the Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, and the H. James Free Center for Primary Care Education and Innovation, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL (VL, GF, RH); and the Department of Family Medicine, Memorial Hospital of Converse County, Douglas, WY (PLS, SLT). vlozano@ufl.edu.
Purpose:
Staphylococcus epidermidis in urine cultures from previously healthy children is usually considered to be a contaminant. The goal of this study was to identify cases in which S. epidermidis was an infectious cause of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children.
Methods:
A literature search identified 7 cases, 6 of which were previously published and 1 which was unpublished, described herein.
Results:
S. epidermidis was identified as the causative organism of UTIs in children with underlying urinary tract abnormalities.
Conclusion:
UTIs caused by S. epidermidis in a previously healthy child should not be disregarded as a contaminant and further workup for urinary tract abnormality is indicated.
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