Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
08:32
Development and Assessment of Intracellular Infection Models for Staphylococcus aureus
Published on: January 17, 2025
Seasonality of staphylococcal infections
S Leekha1, D J Diekema, E N Perencevich
1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. sleekha@epi.umaryland.edu
Summary
Understanding seasonal patterns of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is key for controlling this pathogen. Evidence suggests S. aureus infections, especially skin infections, may be more common during warmer months.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a significant pathogen with evolving virulence.
- Understanding its epidemiological patterns, including seasonal variations, is crucial for effective prevention.
- Previous research on S. aureus seasonality has been limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize findings from epidemiological studies on Staphylococcus aureus seasonality.
- To identify potential links between seasons and S. aureus colonization or infection.
- To highlight research gaps and suggest future study directions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of published epidemiological studies on S. aureus seasonality.
- Analysis of reported associations between S. aureus occurrence and different seasons or weather conditions.
- Critical evaluation of the methodological strengths and weaknesses of existing literature.
Main Results:
- Most studies examining S. aureus seasonality exhibit methodological limitations.
- A potential seasonal variation in S. aureus infections exists.
- Warm-weather months show a particular association with S. aureus skin and soft-tissue infections.
Conclusions:
- While evidence is limited by study quality, seasonal variation in S. aureus infections, particularly skin infections, is plausible.
- Further methodologically rigorous studies are needed to confirm and elucidate S. aureus seasonality.
- Understanding these patterns can inform targeted public health interventions.
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...
01:26Stages of Infection
Stages of infection describe what happens to a susceptible host once a pathogen invades the human body. The stages of infection are incubation, prodromal, illness, stage of decline, and convalescence. The incubation stage is the period from exposure to a pathogen until symptoms start. The infected person is unaware of impending illness as the pathogens grow and multiply within the body. The duration may vary depending on the type of infection. The incubation period of measles averages ten to...
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...
01:28Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...
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...
01:30Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria
Coryneform bacteria are gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile rods that exhibit irregular, club-shaped, or V-shaped arrangements. Their V-shape results from snapping division, where the inner cell wall layer forms the cross-wall, while the outer layer remains intact until it ruptures on one side, causing the daughter cells to bend away.The primary genera are Corynebacterium and Arthrobacter. Corynebacterium includes diverse species, ranging from saprophytes to pathogens like Corynebacterium...