Although coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have been recognized as saprophytes for a long time, they had emerged as etiologic agents of infections. They have currently been the most frequently isolated pathogen in sepsis in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This study aimed the identification of CNS strains isolated from newborns' infections and to determination of beta-lactamase and drugs susceptibility. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most frequently isolated species (77,8%). The study of the beta-lactamase production revealed this characteristic in the most of the strains of CNS isolated (71,8%). The strains isolated in this study presented multiple resistance to the antibiotics tested, with 63,2% of isolates presenting resistance to five or more drugs. The high transmissibility of plasmids among those strains and the abusive use of drugs antimicrobial has been constituting in important factors to the selection of multi-resistance samples and the transfer of resistance genes.
Coagulase-negative staphylococci; Antimicrobial susceptibility; Neonates
