[A molecular biology approach to the species identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci]

A 1.3 DNA fragment isolated from Staphylococcus haemolyticus strain DSM 20264 can be used as a specific probe for this species. 28 collection strains including type strains of 26 Staphylococcus species, as well as 135 clinical isolates representing 8 species, have been studied with this probe by the dot hybridization method. The probe has been found to hybridize with all 42 S. haemolyticus strains, but with none of 121 strains belonging to other Staphylococcus species.