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Taxonomy of coagulase-negative staphylococci: a comparison of two widely used classification schemes

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Abstract

In a comparative study 351 strains of Micrococcus subgroups 1–3 (Baird-Parker, 1963, 1965, 1974) were classified according to the Kloos and Schleifer scheme (1975b). The results showed that Micrococcus subgroups 1, 2 and 3 are heterogeneous groups in the Kloos and Schleifer scheme. Strains belonging to Micrococcus subgroups 1 and 2 were mostly classified by the Kloos and Schleifer criteria as Staphylococcus hominis, Micrococcus subgroup 3 strains from the skin as S. cohnii, while Micrococcus subgroup 3 strains from urinary infections were classified mainly as S. saprophyticus. The correlation of novobiocin resistant S. saprophyticus biotype III (Baird-Parker, 1974) with S. saprophyticus (Kloos and Schleifer, 1975a, 1975b) when isolated from urine, was 80%. Although the Kloos and Schleifer scheme provides more information about biochemical characters, doubts are expressed about the validity of some of the species so delineated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    F. Namavar & D. M. MacLaren

  2. Department of Oral Microbiology, Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    J. de Graaff

Authors
  1. F. Namavar
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  2. J. de Graaff
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  3. D. M. MacLaren
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Namavar, F., de Graaff, J. & MacLaren, D.M. Taxonomy of coagulase-negative staphylococci: a comparison of two widely used classification schemes. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 44, 425–434 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00394318

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00394318

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