[Diagnostic molecular microbiology--identification of Staphylococcus epidermidis]

The species Staphylococcus epidermidis is the predominant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolated from clinical sources. S. epidermidis is now recognized as an important nosocomial pathogen. Identification of CNS is often performed using diagnostic kits based on biochemical or immunological reactions. However, these kits are often unreliable for the identification of CNS species including S. epidermidis. Currently, ribosomal RNA (rRNA) analyses are the most powerful methods for determining phylogenetic relationships among microorganisms and also for identification of species. Several aspects of construction of ribosomal probes for identification of CNS species are presented and discussed. Additionally, the application of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) of rRNA genes for differentiation of clinical isolates of S. epidermidis is shown.