''Staphylococcus warneri'' is a member of the bacterial genus ''

Staphylococcus ''Staphylococcus'' is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria in the family Staphylococcaceae from the order Bacillales. Under the microscope, they appear spherical (cocci), and form in grape-like clusters. ''Staphylococcus'' species are facultative ...

'', consisting of

Gram-positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. Gram-positive bacte ...

bacteria with spherical cells appearing in clusters. It is

catalase Catalase is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen (such as bacteria, plants, and animals) which catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. It is a very important enzyme in protecting t ...

-positive,

oxidase In biochemistry, an oxidase is an enzyme that catalyzes oxidation-reduction reactions, especially one involving dioxygen (O2) as the electron acceptor. In reactions involving donation of a hydrogen atom, oxygen is reduced to water (H2O) or hydro ...

-negative, and

coagulase Coagulase is a protein enzyme produced by several microorganisms that enables the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. In the laboratory, it is used to distinguish between different types of '' Staphylococcus'' isolates. Importantly, '' S. aureus' ...

-negative, and is a common

commensal Commensalism is a long-term biological interaction (symbiosis) in which members of one species gain benefits while those of the other species neither benefit nor are harmed. This is in contrast with mutualism, in which both organisms benefit fro ...

organism found as part of the

skin flora Skin flora, also called skin microbiota, refers to microbiota (communities of microorganisms) that reside on the skin, typically human skin. Many of them are bacteria of which there are around 1,000 species upon human skin from nineteen phyla.P ...

on humans and animals. Like other coagulase-negative staphylococci, ''S. warneri'' rarely causes disease, but may occasionally cause infection in patients whose

immune system The immune system is a network of biological processes that protects an organism from diseases. It detects and responds to a wide variety of pathogens, from viruses to parasitic worms, as well as cancer cells and objects such as wood splinte ...

is compromised.

Identification

Colonies of ''S. warneri'' on

trypticase soy agar Trypticase soy agar or tryptone soya agar (TSA) and Trypticase soy broth or tryptone soya broth (TSB) with agar are growth media for the culturing of bacteria. They are general-purpose, nonselective media providing enough nutrients to allow for ...

are usually beige,

tan Tan or TAN may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Black and Tans, a nickname for British special constables during the Irish War of Independence. By extension "Tans" can now also colloquially refer to English or British people in general, es ...

, or yellow, sometimes with an orange rim and about 2–4 mm in diameter after 48 hours' incubation at 35 °C. Optimal growth temperature is 30-40 °C.

Clinical importance

''Staphylococcus warneri'' has been suggested as a cause of

spontaneous abortion Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion and pregnancy loss, is the death of an embryo or fetus before it is able to survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks of gestation is defined by ESHRE as biochemical lo ...

in cattle and humans.Barigye R, Schaan L, Gibbs PS, Schamber E, Dyer, NW (2007). Diagnostic evidence of ''Staphylococcus warneri'' as a possible cause of bovine abortion. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 19(6): 694-696 It has been associated with vertebral discitis,Announ N., Mattei J., Jaoua S., Fenollar F., Sati H., Chagnaud C., Roudier J., Guis S. (2004) Multifocal discitis caused by ''Staphylococcus warneri''. Joint Bone Spine 71 (3) 240-242

urinary tract infection A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that affects part of the urinary tract. When it affects the lower urinary tract it is known as a bladder infection (cystitis) and when it affects the upper urinary tract it is known as a kidney ...

,Leighton PM, Little JA. (1986) Identification of coagulase-negative Staphylococci isolated from urinary tract infections. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 85(1):92-95

meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or ...

,Incani RN, Hernández M, Cortez J, González ME, Salazar YD(2010) ''Staphylococcus warneri'' meningitis in a patient with ''Strongyloides stercoralis'' hyperinfection and lymphoma: first report of a case. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 52(3):169-170 orthopedic infections/osteomyelitis, ventricular shunt infections,Martínez-Lage JF, Martínez-Lage Azorín L, Almagro MJ (2009) Staphylococcus warneri ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection: failure of diagnosis by ventricular CSF sampling. Childs. Nerv. Syst. and

infective endocarditis Infective endocarditis is an infection of the inner surface of the heart, usually the valves. Signs and symptoms may include fever, small areas of bleeding into the skin, heart murmur, feeling tired, and low red blood cell count. Complications ...

(more associated with prosthetic rather than native valves).Stöllberger C, Wechsler-Fördös A, Geppert F, Gulz W, Brownstone E, Nicolakis M, Finsterer J. (2006) Staphylococcus warneri endocarditis after implantation of a lumbar disc prosthesis in an immunocompetent patient. J. Infect. 52(1):e15-18 Similar to other coagulase-negative staphylococci, the presence of ''S. warneri'' in blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures can also represent contamination rather than a true infection. It has been suggested as the cause of a case of

meningoencephalitis Meningoencephalitis (; from ; ; and the medical suffix ''-itis'', "inflammation"), also known as herpes meningoencephalitis, is a medical condition that simultaneously resembles both meningitis, which is an infection or inflammation of the menin ...

in a dog.Espino L, Bérmudez R, Fidalgo LE, González A, Miño N, Quiroga MI. (2006) Meningoencephalitis associated with Staphylococcus warneri in a dog. J Small Anim Pract. 47(10):598-602

References

External links

Type strain of ''Staphylococcus warneri'' at Bac''Dive'' - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase
Gram-positive bacteria warneri Bacteria described in 1975 {{Staphylococcaceae-stub