We describe a new, efficient, sensitive, and fast single-tube multiple-PCR protocol for the identification of the most clinically significant Staphylococcus spp. and the simultaneous detection of the methicillin and mupirocin resistance loci. The protocol identifies at the species level isolates belonging to S. aureus, S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus, S. hominis, S. lugdunensis, and S. saprophy...

A 42-year-old woman developed a rapidly progressing fatal heart failure. At the autopsy extensive necrosis of the myocardium was seen, with an almost complete absence of inflammatory cells and the presence of bacterial structures identified as Staphylococcus lugdunensis by PCR. In addition, the cytomegalovirus genome was found to be located inside the cardiomyocytes.

Staphylococcus lugdunensis and Corynebacterium amycolatum each have a Na(+)/glutamine cotransporter that displays an ordered reaction sequence at the extracellular surface, with sodium binding (K(m) of 6.5 mM) before glutamine (K(m) of 50 microM). Asparagine is low-affinity substrate (K(m) approximately 1 mM) for each system.

Unbiased species-level identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identified Staphylococcus lugdunensis to be a more commonly isolated CoNS in our laboratory than previously observed. It has also highlighted the possibility of vertical transmission.

Thirteen coagulase-negative, oxidase-negative, and novobiocin-susceptible staphylococci were isolated from human clinical specimens. The isolates were differentiated from known staphylococcal species on the basis of 16S rRNA, hsp60, rpoB, dnaJ, tuf, and gap gene sequencing, automated ribotyping, (GTG)5-PCR fingerprinting, and MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA ge...

The accuracy and efficiency of Staf-Sistem 18-R (Liofilchem s.r.l., Roseto degli Abruzzi, Teramo, Italy) were compared with those of conventional biochemical methods to identify 523 strains belonging to 16 different human Staphylococcus species. Overall, 491 strains (93.9%) were correctly identified (percentage of identification, > or = 90.0), with 28 (5.4%) requiring supplementary tests for co...