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Related Concept Videos

Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal 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...
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Skin Diseases and Disorders

Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
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Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occur in a healthcare facility while a person receives care for another ailment. This category also includes work-related infections among healthcare staff.
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies. Common...
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

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Phagocytes
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Mechanism 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...
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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...

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A Zebrafish Embryo Model for In Vivo Visualization and Intravital Analysis of Biomaterial-associated Staphylococcus aureus Infection
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A Zebrafish Embryo Model for In Vivo Visualization and Intravital Analysis of Biomaterial-associated Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Published on: January 7, 2019

Staphylococcus epidermidis--the 'accidental' pathogen.

Michael Otto1

  • 1National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike Building 33 1W10, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. motto@niaid.nih.gov

Nature Reviews. Microbiology
|July 18, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Staphylococcus epidermidis, a common skin bacterium, has evolved to maintain a benign host relationship rather than cause disease. Its commensal factors surprisingly benefit it during infections, highlighting its complex role.

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Development and Assessment of Intracellular Infection Models for Staphylococcus aureus
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Development and Assessment of Intracellular Infection Models for Staphylococcus aureus

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Development and Assessment of Intracellular Infection Models for Staphylococcus aureus
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Development and Assessment of Intracellular Infection Models for Staphylococcus aureus

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis
  • Host-Microbe Interactions

Background:

  • Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common skin commensal bacterium.
  • Nosocomial infections caused by S. epidermidis are a significant clinical concern.
  • The bacterium's pathogenic potential is less understood than its commensal role.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular mechanisms underlying the commensal and infectious lifestyles of S. epidermidis.
  • To explore how factors promoting commensalism contribute to infection.
  • To discuss the bacterium's role in microbial ecology and antibiotic resistance.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes existing research on S. epidermidis.
  • It focuses on molecular and genetic factors.
  • Comparative analysis of commensal and pathogenic traits is discussed.

Main Results:

  • S. epidermidis lacks aggressive virulence factors typically associated with pathogens.
  • Factors enabling its commensal lifestyle appear to be co-opted for infection.
  • The bacterium plays a role in maintaining epithelial microflora balance.
  • It serves as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes.

Conclusions:

  • S. epidermidis has evolved a sophisticated strategy for host interaction, balancing commensalism and opportunism.
  • Understanding these molecular underpinnings is crucial for managing S. epidermidis-associated infections.
  • Its role in antibiotic resistance necessitates further investigation.