Prosthetic joint infection due to Staphylococcus schleiferi in a patient with occupational canine exposure

Staphylococcus schleiferi is a Gram-positive bacterium known for causing skin and ear infections in dogs and other small companion animals but is rarely described as a human pathogen. Importantly, it lacks coagulase and can be easily misidentified as other Staphylococcus spp. or perceived as a contaminant. Like other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp., it has a predilection for indwelling medical devices and therefore is acquired in healthcare settings. Human infections have also been associated with canine exposure. Here, we present a case of an acute prosthetic joint infection (PJI) caused by S. schleiferi in a patient with long-term occupational canine exposure who was successfully treated with six weeks of intravenous antibiotic therapy followed by three months of oral suppression therapy. This case reinforces the pathogenicity of S. schleiferi in humans and emphasizes the importance of both host and environmental risk factors when identifying and treating PJIs caused by this rare bacterium.

Authors: L. Wells, G. Erickson, N. Nebeluk and J. Doub Title: Prosthetic joint infection due to Staphylococcus schleiferi in a patient with occupational canine exposure Full source: IDCases, 2026,Vol 46, pp e02752
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Abstract	Source
Staphylococcus schleiferi is a Gram-positive bacterium known for causing skin and ear infections in dogs and other small companion animals but is rarely described as a human pathogen. Importantly, it lacks coagulase and can be easily misidentified as other Staphylococcus spp. or perceived as a contaminant. Like other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp., it has a predilection for indwelling medical devices and therefore is acquired in healthcare settings. Human infections have also been associated with canine exposure. Here, we present a case of an acute prosthetic joint infection (PJI) caused by S. schleiferi in a patient with long-term occupational canine exposure who was successfully treated with six weeks of intravenous antibiotic therapy followed by three months of oral suppression therapy. This case reinforces the pathogenicity of S. schleiferi in humans and emphasizes the importance of both host and environmental risk factors when identifying and treating PJIs caused by this rare bacterium.