Prevalence of Biofilm-Forming and Antibiotic-Resistant Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Isolated from Hospitalized Patients in an Orthopedic Clinic

Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) are a major cause of infectious diseases, owing to their ability to form biofilms and colonize community and hospital environments. MRCoNS strains were identified using biochemical tests, an MALDI-TOF MS analyzer, and PCR-based 16S rRNA gene confirmation. This study was designed to assess antibiotic resistance and biofilm-forming capacity and to determine the presence of the <i>mecA</i>, <i>mecC</i>, <i>agrA</i>, <i>srtA</i>, <i>icaABCD</i>, <i>bap</i>, <i>fnbAB</i>, and <i>clfAB</i> genes in MRCoNS isolates. From patients undergoing random screening during hospitalization in the Orthopedics Clinic in Slovakia, 28 strains of MRCoNS were identified: <i>S. epidermidis</i> (<i>n</i> = 10), <i>S. hominis</i> (<i>n</i> = 8), <i>S. haemolyticus</i> (<i>n</i> = 4), <i>S. lugdunensis</i> (<i>n</i> = 3), while <i>S. simulans</i>, <i>S. pasteuri</i>, and <i>S. warneri</i> were detected only once. The highest rates of resistance were observed for ampicillin, oxacillin, rifampicin, trimethoprim (100%), and erythromycin (62%). The <i>mecA</i> gene was detected in 12 analyzed isolates. In 12 isolates, MDR, strong efflux pump activity, and strong or moderate biofilm formation were simultaneously detected. Our findings highlight the problems posed by biofilm-forming, resistant CoNS in hospitalized patients and the importance of diagnostics, separation, rapid treatment, and proper hospital hygiene.