Enterococcus faecalis isolates were examined by an automated system. Almost all isolates were ampicillin susceptible and tetracycline resistant. About a third showed high lever aminoglycoside resistance and these isolates were usually ciprofloxacin, resistance. Seven isolates were vancomycin resistant.

Seventy-three percent of coagulase negative Staphylococci (CoNS) Isolated from blood cultures were contaminants and 34% of patients with contaminating CoNS were treated with specific anti-staphylococcal antibiotics including vancomycin. This paper underlines the need for careful evaluation of CoNS from blood culture before instituting therapy.

This report is on the prevalence and significance of coagulase negative Staphylococci isolated from blood cultures of patients seen at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, over a six month period.