The epidemiology of peritonitis caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

The epidemiology of 10 episodes of CAPD peritonitis caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci was studied. The infecting micro-organism was found in prospective skin swabs in six episodes, widely distributed and as the predominant, or equally predominant, organism at each site but was not detected in swabs taken more than 12 weeks before the episode of peritonitis; this suggests recent acquisition. Infecting strains were no more likely to be adherent or to produce slime than non-infecting strains, nor had they any other characteristic detected in our typing scheme that might lead to their detection before peritonitis developed.