Speciation and antibiogram of Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) in a Tertiary Care Hospital

• Author Details:   
• Rajeswari Jayakumar
• Vijayalakshmi Arumugam
• Meerah Srinivasagam

Introduction and Objectives: CoNS which were considered as contaminants with minimal significance, have emerged as important agents of human disease. The recognition of increasing antimicrobial resistance among CoNS isolates constitutes a potentially worrisome emerging characteristic. Hence, this study was done to speciate and determine the resistant pattern of CoNS.
Materials and Methods: 122 clinically significant CoNS isolates were obtained from various clinical samples between August 2016 to July 2017. These samples were processed conventionally.

Results: Of the 122 CoNS species isolated majority were from pus. Identification of CoNS showed S.epidermidis 70 (57.4%), as the most frequently isolated species. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the isolates showed maximum resistance to Penicillin. Methicillin resistance was seen among 19 (15.6 %) isolates. But all the isolates showed 100% sensitivity to glycopeptides and Linezolid.
Conclusion: Meticulous identification, speciation and resistant pattern of the isolate is of paramount importance in clinical management of patients.

Keywords: Coagulase negative Staphylococci(CoNS), Contaminant, Anti microbial susceptibility pattern, Methicillin resistance