Bacteraemia duetorecurrentreinfection with Staphylococcus epidermidis associated withdefective opsonisation andprocidin function inserum

Aims-Todifferentiate betweenreinfection and relapsing infection with Staphylococcus epidermidis inamiddleagedwomanwithdefective opsonisation andprocidin function inserum. Methods-Microbiological typingwas doneby biotyping, phagetyping, and polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis of radiolabelied bacterial proteins (radioPAGE method). Polymorphonuclear cell function wasassessed invitro byphagocytosis andkilling ofCandidaalbicans; measurementof neutrophil random locomotion andchemotaxis; reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium afterstimulation byopsonised Candida andaradiometric saccharomyces opsonisation assay.The effect ofplasmainfusions on opsonic activity wasassessed bychemiluminescenceusingcontrol polymorphonuclear leucocytes witha laboratory strain of S epidermidis opsonised witheither patient orcontrol serum. Results-Recurrent