Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcal Infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Background.: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are the most commonly isolated pathogens in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). CoNS infections are associated with increased morbidity, including neurodevelopmental impairment.Objective.: To describe the epidemiology of CoNS infections in the NICU. To determine mortality among infants with definite, probable, or possible CoNS infections.Methods.: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid cultures from samples obtained from infants aged P<.001). No significant difference in overall mortality was found in infants who had definite CoNS infection compared with those who had probable or possible CoNS infection (OR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.75, 1.16] and 0.85 [95% CI,0.70,1.03], respectively).Conclusions.: CoNS infection was strongly related to lower gestational age and birth weight. Infants with clinical sepsis and culture-positive CoNS infection had lower mortality rates than infants with clinical sepsis and negative blood culture results. No difference in mortality between infants with a diagnosis of definite, probable, or possible CoNS infection was observed.