Staphylococcus lugdunensis

Taxobox
color = lightgrey
name = "Staphylococcus lugdunensis"
regnum = Bacteria
phylum = Firmicutes
classis = Cocci
ordo = Bacillales
familia = Staphylococcaceae
genus = "Staphylococcus"
species = "S. lugdunensis"
binomial = "Staphylococcus lugdunensis"
binomial_authority = Freney "et al." 1988

"Staphylococcus lugdunensis" is a member of the genus Staphylococcus, consisting of Gram-positive bacteria with spherical cells that appear in clusters. It was first described in 1988 and was recorded as a cause of serious human infections such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and septicaemia. It occurs as a commensal on human skin. In the past it was frequently misidentified as "S. hominis", "S. aureus", or other species.

"S. lugdunensis" may produce a bound coagulase (that is, the enzyme is bound to the cells), a property which it shares with "S. aureus", but unlike "S. aureus" it does not produce a free coagulase. In the laboratory it can give a positive slide-coagulase test but a negative tube-coagulase test.

"S. lugdunensis" is fairly easy to identify because unlike the great majority of staphylococci it decarboxylates ornithine. (Very occasional strains of other species may do the same.)

Colonies of "S. lugdunensis" are usually hemolytic, sticky, yellow or tan and about 2-4 mm in diameter after a 48-hour incubation. They usually have a characteristic odour.