Abstract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to discuss a possible new risk factor for the bacterial meningitis. METHODS: Cerebrospinal fluid collected from 270 patients was assayed. An enzyme immunosorbent assay for the detection of Staphylococcal enterotoxins A to E was used. RESULTS: The results indicated that the frequency of Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) was 35 (20.46). An important finding of this research was that the CoNS isolates produced enterotoxin C and D or enterotoxin C and E. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of enterotoxin-producing Coagulase Negative Staphylococci isolated from CSF patients. Therefore, these enterotoxins probably act as risk factors in the bacterial invasion into central nervous system.