Identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci by using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and rRNA restriction patterns.

A total of 1,417 staphylococcal and micrococcal strains were collected from the beards and scalps of 10 subjects over a period of 8 months. Sixteen strains identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis with an API system had distinctive yellow colonies on nutrient agar plates and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis whole-cell polypeptide profiles similar to those of Staphylococcus capitis; this identification was confirmed by analysis of rRNA gene restriction patterns.