Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
08:32
Development and Assessment of Intracellular Infection Models for Staphylococcus aureus
Published on: January 17, 2025
Host defense and pathogenesis in Staphylococcus aureus infections
Frank R DeLeo1, Binh An Diep, Michael Otto
1Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. fdeleo@niaid.nih.gov
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America
|January 13, 2009
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of bacterial infections, evades the innate immune system. This review details how neutrophils, key immune cells, combat S aureus and examines community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a prevalent cause of bacterial infections in the US.
- The pathogen employs mechanisms to evade the innate immune system.
- Neutrophils are crucial for defense against S aureus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review human neutrophil function against S aureus virulence.
- To provide an overview of community-associated methicillin-resistant S aureus (CA-MRSA) pathogenicity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of human neutrophil function.
- Analysis of S aureus virulence factors.
- Examination of CA-MRSA pathogenicity.
Main Results:
- Neutrophils play a central role in controlling S aureus infections.
- S aureus has evolved strategies to resist neutrophil-mediated killing.
- CA-MRSA exhibits distinct pathogenic features.
Conclusions:
- Understanding neutrophil-S aureus interactions is vital for combating infections.
- Targeting S aureus evasion mechanisms may enhance immune defense.
- Further research into CA-MRSA is needed for effective treatment strategies.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Staphylococcal Skin Infections
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
01:31Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens
The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
01:20Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence
Pathogenic bacteria employ a variety of strategies to establish infections, including the secretion of extracellular enzymes that act as potent virulence factors. These enzymes facilitate bacterial colonization of host tissues and help evade immune surveillance. By targeting structural components of host tissues and interfering with immune mechanisms, these enzymes play a pivotal role in disease progression.Extracellular Enzymes Facilitating Tissue Invasion: Several bacterial pathogens secrete...
01:25Colonisation of Pathogens
Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...
01:25Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
01:25Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...