Mohammad Taghi Haghi Ashtiani - Dept. of Pathology, Markaze Tebbi Koodakan, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Kamal Aboutorabi - Dept. of Pathology, Markaze Tebbi Koodakan, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh Mahjoub - Dept. of Pathology, Markaze Tebbi Koodakan, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Setareh Mamishi - Dept. of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Markaze Tebbi Koodakan, Tehran University of Medical Sciences,Tehran, Iran.

Background and Objective: Reliable methods of detection of antimicrobial resistance are of paramount importance in the treatment and management of infections caused by coagulasenegative staphylococci (CoNS). The objective of the present study was to compare and evaluate theperformance of disc diffusion and E test (Epsilometer test) methods for antimicrobial testing of coagulase negative staphylococci in blood cultures.Materials and Methods: A total of 77 isolates of coagulase negative staphylococci from blood cultures were included as test strains. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by discdiffusion method for vancomycin. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination wasperformed by E test for the same antimicrobial agent. All tests were performed on Mueller Hinton media. Results: Disc diffusion showed four resistant and 73 susceptible cases in examined strains withvancomycin. E test showed susceptibility of all strains to vancomycin. Decreased susceptibilityto vancomycin were detected in 20 isolates in disc diffusion method but in 18 isolates by E test method Conclusion: Disc diffusion test may be used as a preliminary screening method for susceptibilitytesting of coagulase negative staphylococci. E test is a simple, easy and reliable method fordetermination of resistance in coagulase negative staphylococci, however, cost and limited availability in Iran limits its use.

Coagulase negative staphylococcus (CoNS), Disc diffusion, E test