Staphylococcus epidermidis — the 'accidental' pathogen

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Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common member of the human epithelial microflora and one of the most frequent nosocomial pathogens. S. epidermidis is mostly involved with indwelling medical device-associated infections.The prevalence of S. epidermidis in this type of infection is likely to be due to its abundance on the human skin and its capacity to adhere to catheter surfaces and form biofilms. Biofilm formation, exopolymers and other mechanisms protect S. epidermidis from antibiotics and host defences. Efficient S. epidermidis biofilm formation is dependent on both protein and exopolysaccharide aggregation substances. S. epidermidis can sense the presence of antimicrobial peptides and trigger defensive responses against this type of innate host defence mechanism, which it encounters in its natural habitat. S. epidermidis functions as a reservoir for genes that can be transferred to Staphylococcus aureus, enhancing the pathogenic success and antibiotic resistance of this more dangerous pathogen. S. epidermidis does not produce aggressive toxins and its immune evasion factors probably have original functions in the commensal lifestyle of this species. This indicates that S. epidermidis infection is 'accidental' in nature.

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