Staphylococcus epidermidis infections

Abstract

The opportunistic human pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis has become the most important cause of nosocomial infections in recent years. Its pathogenicity is mainly due to the ability to form biofilms on indwelling medical devices. In a biofilm, S. epidermidis is protected against attacks from the immune system and against antibiotic treatment, making S. epidermidis infections difficult to eradicate. © 2002 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.