This information would guide empiric therapy as well as infection control measures.

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.