[Gram-positive, catalase negative cocci isolated from clinical material--identification and drug sensitivity of...

4608 clinical specimens (including 1641 samples of blood) for bacteriological examination were obtained from patients hospitalized in different wards of National Clinical Hospital No 1 in Warsaw. Strains were cultured, identified and their sensitivity to antibacterial drugs was determined during 14 months with the use of semi-automated API (ATB-plus) system (bioMérieux, France). Strains of Gram-positive, catalase-negative cocci were separated from all cultured strains. They belonged to the genera: Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Gemella, Aerococcus and Lactococcus (538 strains altogether). 238 Streptococcus spp. strains (44.2%) and 201 Enterococcus spp. strains (37.4%)were isolated from all specimens. The greatest number of catalase-negative cocci was obtained from wound smears -420 strains, which amounts to 78.2% of all strains. Among isolates dominated E. faecalis strains -104 (19.3%) and E. faecium strains - 70 (13.0% of all isolated strains). Vancomycin was the most effective antibacterial drug against gram-positive, catalase-negative cocci isolated from patients hospitalized in our hospital. Vancomycin-resistant strains constituted from 3% to 18% of strains depending on a species.