Staph aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci are examples of what category in PD infections?

• A. Environmental organisms
• B. Skin flora
• C. Enteric organisms
• D. Respiratory pathogens

Answer: (B)

Staph aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci are classic skin flora—bacteria that normally inhabit the skin. In peritoneal dialysis, they commonly cause infections when they contaminate the catheter exit site or the PD exchange equipment during handling. Their status as skin residents makes them frequent culprits for PD infections through touch contamination, leading to exit-site infections or peritonitis. They are not environmental organisms (which come from the surrounding environment), not enteric organisms (from the gut), and not respiratory pathogens (that infect the respiratory tract).