Title: Staphylococcus saprophyticus - Wikipedia
Headings: Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Contents
History
Epidemiology and pathogenesis
Clinical features
Laboratory diagnosis
Treatment
Different subspecies
References
External links

Content: Laboratory diagnosis
The urine sediment of a patient with a S. saprophyticus urinary tract infection has a characteristic appearance under the microscope manifesting leukocytes, erythrocytes, and clumping due to cocci adhering to cellular elements. Chemical screening methods for bacteriuria, such as, urine nitrate and glucose do not always detect S. saprophyticus infection. This is because unlike Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae urinary tract infections, S. saprophyticus does not reduce nitrate and has a longer generation time, thus does not consume glucose as rapidly. Even when such an infection occurs above the neck of the bladder, low numbers of colony-forming units (less than 10 5 cfu/ml) are often present. S. saprophyticus is identified as belonging to the genus Staphylococcus using the Gram stain and catalase test. It is identitified as a species of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) using the coagulase test. Lastly, S. saprophyticus is differentiated from S. epidermidis, another species of pathogenic CoNS, by testing for susceptibility to the antibiotic novobiocin. S. saprophyticus is novobiocin-resistant, whereas S. epidermidis is novobiocin-sensitive. Treatment
S. saprophyticus urinary tract infections are usually treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or with a quinolone such as to be alone norfloxacin. It has also been shown to be susceptible to ampicillin & ceftriaxone.