A combination of methods to evaluate biofilm production may help to determine the clinical relevance of Staphylococcus in blood cultures.

Staphylococcus is the most prevalent pathogen causing bacteremia and many of its isolates possess the ability to form biofilm. In this study Staphylococcus isolates from the blood of patients with bacteremia were analyzed by two biofilm detection phenotypic methods: Congo red agar (CRA) and microtiter-plate adherence (MPA) in relation to the presence of ica genes, detected by PCR. Their oxacillin susceptibility was also evaluated.