Coagulase negative staphylococci

 

They are a common contaminant of blood stream cultures as they can enter the sampling bottles from the skin as the sample is being taken.

 

They can however cause infections such as infections of intra-venous lines (a narrow plastic tubing inserted into a large vein for delivery of treatments such as antibiotics) and infection of the heart valves (endocarditis, particularly in patients who are already compromised by other medical conditions and treatments.

 

The infections they cause are less common than the episodes of contamination they cause and, in general, coagulase negative staphylococci are not very aggressive bacteria.