Standard Precautions
Gram positive cocci in clusters, coagulase-negative
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 - should be respected as a pathogen