Improved diagnostic prediction of the pathogenicity of bloodstream isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

With an estimated 440,000 active cases occurring each year, medical device associated infections pose a significant burden on the US healthcare system, costing about $9.8 billion in 2013. Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common cause of these device-associated infections, which typically involve isolates that are multi-drug resistant and possess multiple virulence factors.