Speciation and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of staphylococcus species other than staphylococcus aureus Isolated from various Clinical Samples at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Rajasthan

Abstract

Background: Staphylococci species other than Staphylococcus (CoNS) are increasingly recognized as significant pathogens in clinical settings, particularly among hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. Rising antimicrobial resistance has become a major concern.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 37 clinically significant CoNS isolates obtained from various clinical samples. Identification of isolates was done using standard microbiological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by the “Vitek* 2compact automated system” (biomerieux)Results: Among the isolates, Staphylococcus haemolyticus 16(43.2%) was the most common species, followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis 11(29.7%) and Staphylococcus hominis 7(18.9%). A high level of resistance was observed to penicillin, oxacillin, indicating a high prevalence of methicillin-resistant CoNS (MRCoNS). Resistance to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin was also notable. Moderate resistance was seen for gentamicin, clindamycin, and cotrimoxazole. All isolates showed high susceptibility to vancomycin, Daptomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid. Inducible clindamycin resistance was detected in a subset of isolates.Conclusion: CoNS are emerging as important multidrug-resistant pathogens. High resistance to commonly used antibiotics limits treatment options; however, glycopeptides (Teicoplanin, Vancomycin and linezolid remain effective. Routine speciation, antimicrobial surveillance and strict infection control practices are essential for better management and prevention of resistance.