PATHOLOGICAL STUDY ON STAPHYLOCOCCUS XYLOSUS ISOLATED FROM PATIENTS WITH URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS

Abstract

One hundred and fifty urine specimens were collected from urinaray tract infected patients, visiting different hospitals in Baghdad, for the period the first of September to the first of December, 2005.Out of 61 staphylococci isolates, 13 isolates were diagnosed as coagulase positive staphylococci, 48 isolates as coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS), 10 of the latter were identified as Staphylococcus xylosus. This identification was confirmed by biochemical tests and api 20 staph system. All strains of S. xylosus isolates were able to produce protease and haemolysin, and unable to produce lipase, whereas urease activity was variable.S. xylosus isolates showed high susceptibility toward ciprofloxacin and high resistant toward erythromycin.Several pathological changes have been caused by S. xylosus isolates in mice represented by glomerulus shrinkage, heamorrhage, congestion, and infiltration of inflammatory cells in kidney, while the urinary bladder suffered from hydropic degeneration, dekeratiniztation, as well as infiltration of inflammatory cells. It was clear that the urease producing isolate S. xylosus S7 was more virulent than the non urease producing isolate S. xylosus S12.