The clinical significance of the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis from patient blood cultures is often unclear, presenting uncertainty regarding patient management. In up to 80% of such cases, growth represents a contaminated blood collection, however true bacteraemia requires prompt and directed antimicrobial treatment to prevent poor patient outcomes.  Infection with S. epidermidis often results from contaminated indwelling medical devices that include intravascular devices, stents, orthopaedic and cardiac valve prostheses. Clinical presentation of S. epidermidis bacteraemia is typically indolent in comparison to other microorganisms, and patients with indwelling medical devices may be unnecessarily treated with antibiotics and/or replacement of the indwelling device. S. epidermidis’ success as an opportunistic pathogen is primarily attributed to its ability to colonise and form biofilms on intravascular devices and evade the host immune system.   In this study we analysed 160 strains of S. epidermidis previously isolated from blood cultures of patients from intensive care, oncology or the renal transplant unit. Half of the strains were clinically determined to be causing bacteraemia whereas the remaining half were determined to be contaminants. All strains were interrogated for an array of postulated virulence factors (VFs) to identify those factors that are associated with the bacteraemia.  A significant correlation of VFs with invasive strains could be used to develop a multiplex PCR test that would be capable of identifying virulent strains of S. epidermidis and hence assist clinicians with treatment decisions.  Ideally, such a test would identify those patients with true bacteraemia, optimising patient outcomes, reducing the costs of health care and resultant infection management issues.