Staphylococcus lugdunensis: características clínicas, microbiológicas y sensibilidad antibiótica de 27 casos

Abstract

IntroductionStaphylococcus lugdunensis is a coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CNS) with microbiological characteristics, clinical virulence and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, which makes it a distinctly different species from other coagulase-negative staphylococcus species. We present the microbiological and clinical characteristics of 27 S.lugdunensis isolates in patients of our hospital. Material and methodsStaphylococcus lugdunensis isolates collected in our hospital from 2004 to 2011 were studied. Identification and susceptibility testing were performed using the MicroScan (Siemens) system. The clinical records of patients with S.lugdunensis were reviewed. ResultsA total of 27 isolates of S.lugdunensis were obtained from the following sources: abscesses (8), wounds (8), joint fluid (3), blood (2), peritoneal fluid (1), ear exudate (1), nasal discharge (1), and urine (1). In 22 cases the culture was pure and in 5 cases mixed. Samples came from Gynaecology in 8 cases (30%), Traumatology in 6 (22%), Surgery in 5 (19%), Internal Medicine in 3 (11%), Paediatrics in 2 (7%), and 3 (11%) from other departments. Just over half (15 cases, 55.5%) had a history of recent surgery or trauma. A total of 20 (74%) were sensitive to penicillin, and none of the isolates was resistant to oxacillin. ConclusionsS. lugdunensis has been isolated mainly in skin and soft tissue infections, as well as in surgical wounds. The microorganism was obtained in pure culture in 20 cases (74%). The proper identification of S.lugdunensis is important in order to avoid being ruled out as simple coagulase-negative staphylococci, and to give us a better understanding of infections caused by this microorganism.