Pathogens
Staphylococci, coagulase negative

Staphylococci, coagulase negative

Precautions

Standard Precautions

General Information

Gram positive cocci in clusters, coagulase-negative

CoNS = Coagulase-negative staphylococci

Ubiquitous - skin organism

Most commonly a skin contaminant/colonizer - the most common contaminant of blood cultures

This may be a real pathogen particularly in nosocomial setting - Important disease manifestations include infections of prosthetic materials including prosthetic valve endocarditis, vascular catheter infections, and prosthetic joints, etc.

Staphylococcus saphrophyticus causes UTI in young females

Staphylococcus lugdenensis acts more like S. aureus and is more virulent than other CoNS - treat as a virulent pathogen