In neonatal intensive care units, topical agents represent an increasing part of the infection control armamentarium. Fifty-one coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolated from catheter-associated bloodstream infections in very preterm neonates were investigated in this study: 41.2% exhibited decreased susceptibility to at least one antiseptic (chlorhexidine 12%, benzalkonium 24%, acriflavine 33%) and 61% were resistant to mupirocin. QacA/B, mupA and both genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction in 59%, 63% and 49% of CNS, respectively. Seventy-six percent of Staphylococcus epidermidis (5/5 pulsed-field-gel electrophoresis subgroups) and 11% of Staphylococcus capitis (1/3 subgroups) were multi-resistant. Skin antisepsis using low-concentration aqueous formulations and off-label mupirocin indications should benefit from a stewardship programme. (C) 2012 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.