PRODUCTION OF SIDEROPHORE BY COAGULASE-NEGATIVE STAPHYLOCOCCI AND ITSRELATION TO VIRULENCE

The ability to produce siderophore is considered to be a virulence fac tor for many pathogenic bacteria. To determine if siderophore producti on by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) was related to virulence, 40 clinical isolates of CNS cultured from peritoneal dialysis fluid w ere compared with 38 commensal skin isolates. Siderophore activity was detected using the chrome azurol 8 liquid assay. Using precursor stud ies, Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates were shown to be more likely to produce the siderophore staphyloferrin A. Production of staphylofer rin B amongst non-Staphylococcus epidermidis species was associated wi th clinical isolates rather than commensal isolates, and therefore may play a role in pathogenicity.