32 Virulence Factors in Neonatal Blood Isolates of Staphylococcus Epidermidis

Background: Staphylococcus epidermidis is the predominating etiology of neonatal septicemia in industrilized countries, but specific virulence factors associated with S. epidermidis are incompletely described. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible virulence factors representing different pathogenetic steps in neonatal blood isolates of S. epidermidis: a) Up-regulation of inflammatory activity in endothelial cells b) the ability to express bacterial surface proteins and biofilm of importance for bacterial colonization and c) antibiotical resistance.