Abstract
In the eight-month period of study of all urine samples processed in our routine laboratory, only 85 out of 12 152 specimens yielded a bacteriologically significant growth of either Staphylococcus epidermidis or micrococci. Their growth on MacConkey medium was strictly comparable to that on cysteine lactose electrolyte-deficient (CLED) media. Most micrococci isolated were from urine samples of non hospitalised women patients, were resistant to a novobiocin (5 micrograms) disc, and belonged to Baird Parker type 3. Staph. epidermidis came mainly from postoperative surgical in-patients. Their antibiotic sensitivity patterns are variable whereas micrococci are fully sensitive to all urinary antibiotics. We agree that the use of a novobiocin (5 micrograms) disc for provisional identification of micrococci and Staph. epidermidis is simple and practical for a busy routine diagnostic laboratory. The use of more extensive systems to biotype these organisms in a routine laboratory is not practical and not relevant to patient management.
Full text
PDFSelected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Arneil G. C., McAllister T. A., Kay P. Detection of bacteriuria at room-temperature. Lancet. 1970 Jan 17;1(7638):119–121. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(70)90468-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- BAIRD-PARKER A. C. A classification of micrococci and staphylococci based on physiological and biochemical tests. J Gen Microbiol. 1963 Mar;30:409–427. doi: 10.1099/00221287-30-3-409. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Chalmers A. A modification of the oxidation-fermentation test for the classification of Micrococcaceae. Med Lab Technol. 1972 Oct;29(4):379–384. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gillespie W. A., Sellin M. A., Gill P., Stephens M., Tuckwell L. A., Hilton A. L. Urinary tract infection in young women, with special reference to Staphylococcus saprophyticus. J Clin Pathol. 1978 Apr;31(4):348–350. doi: 10.1136/jcp.31.4.348. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kerr H. Urinary infection caused by Micrococcus subgroup 3. J Clin Pathol. 1973 Dec;26(12):918–920. doi: 10.1136/jcp.26.12.918. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Maskell R. Importance of coagulase-negative staphylococci as pathogens in the urinary tract. Lancet. 1974 Jun 8;1(7867):1155–1158. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(74)90634-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Meers P. D., Whyte W., Sandys G. Coagulase-negative staphylococci and micrococci in urinary tract infections. J Clin Pathol. 1975 Apr;28(4):270–273. doi: 10.1136/jcp.28.4.270. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mitchell R. G. Classification of Staphylococcus albus strains isolated from the urinary tract. J Clin Pathol. 1968 Jan;21(1):93–96. doi: 10.1136/jcp.21.1.93. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pead L., Crump J., Maskell R. Staphylococci as urinary pathogens. J Clin Pathol. 1977 May;30(5):427–431. doi: 10.1136/jcp.30.5.427. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sellin M., Cooke D. I., Gillespie W. A., Sylvester D. G., Anderson J. D. Micrococcal urinary-tract infections in young women. Lancet. 1975 Sep 27;2(7935):570–572. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)90166-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]