Table 1.
Biochemical tests for the identification and speciation of CNS isolates
| Species | Urease | Acetoin production | Novobiocin | Polymyxin B | Slide coagulase | Tube coagulase | Alkaline phosphatase | Pyrrolidonyl arylamidase | Ornithine decarboxylase | Trehalose | Mannitol | Mannose | Xylose | Maltose | Sucrose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staphylococcus epidermidis | + | + | S | R | − | − | + | − | − | − | − | + | − | + | + |
| S. saprophyticus | + | + | R | S | − | − | − | − | − | + | − | − | − | + | + |
| S. haemolyticus | − | + | S | S | − | − | − | + | − | + | − | − | − | + | + |
| S. hominis | + | − | S | S | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | + | + |
| S. capitis | − | − | S | S | − | − | − | − | − | − | + | + | − | − | + |
| S. warneri | + | + | S | S | − | − | − | − | − | + | − | − | − | + | + |
| S. lugdunensis | D | + | S | D | + | − | + | + | + | − | + | − | + | + |
Notes: +, positive; −, negative; S, sensitive; R, resistant; D, differential. Adapted from Kloos WE, Bannerman TL. Update on clinical significance of coagulasenegative staphylococci. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1994;7(1):117–140. Amended with permission from American Society for Microbiology.15
Abbreviation: CNS, coagulase-negative staphylococci.