The Staphylococcus strains acquired from scrapings from hospital environments were identified to the species level based on their biochemical properties. From the monitored sample the Staphylococcus epidermidis strains were selected for more accurate typing and tested on their virulence factor and ribotyped. The biotyping of S. epidermidis did not show any considerable intraspecific variation of these isolates and there were no atypical reactions, with the exception of three strains (out of 33). In contrast, the results of ribotyping showed greater heterogeneity of strains and unequivocally demonstrated the relation between the ribotype and the place of sample drawing. In addition to this fact, the found ribotypes repeat in the same environment in the long-term which suggests the occurrence and persistence of the same strains of conditionally pathogenic bacteria in hospital environment. We showed that ribotyping is a suitable method for precise and reliable detection of some coagulase-negative staphylococci.

Regional Public Health Institute Brno Czechia

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