Determining the significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci identified in cultures of paired blood specimens from neonates by species identification and strain clonality.

Of 13 paired coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolates recovered from cultures of paired blood specimens obtained simultaneously from peripheral sites from neonates with clinical sepsis, 12 were identical species with identical genotypes. Isolation of CoNS in cultures of 2 blood samples obtained simultaneously from separate sites in neonates usually represents true infection.