In the past few years the interest in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) species has significantly increased due to their impact on human health and disease. CoNS are common bacterial colonizers of the normal human microflora and usually have a benign relationship with the host. However, they are now recognized as opportunistic pathogens, causing infection especially in immunocompromised individuals.1 CoNS have recently emerged as a leading cause of healthcare-associated infections, particularly when indwelling medical devices are used.2 The major recognized determinants in the pathogenesis of CoNS infections are their high resistance to several classes of antibiotics along with an exceptional ability to form thick and multilayered biofilms.1 Biofilms are defined as structured communities of microorganisms embedded in a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric components (e.g., polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids). It is well established that bacteria exhibiting a biofilm phenotype are recalcitrant to antimicrobial therapy3 and therefore, the biofilm formation ability and the resistance to antimicrobial therapy can be intimately related. Nevertheless, some researchers argue that these determinants may in fact reflect the adaptation of CoNS to their particular commensal habitat, the skin.4

A large proportion of studies performed on CoNS species have been conducted almost exclusively on clinical strains, and the role of community-associated strains has been neglected. In fact, very little is known regarding CoNS strains isolated from healthy individuals in the community settings. Consequently, a better characterization of CoNS strains in their commensal lifestyle could give us new insights on how harmless commensal bacteria can turn into dangerous pathogens.

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