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Staphylococcus epidermidis-Skin friend or foe?
Morgan M Brown1, Alexander R Horswill1,2
1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America.
Plos Pathogens
|November 12, 2020
Summary
Staphylococcus epidermidis strains on skin can be beneficial or harmful. Understanding this strain-level diversity is crucial before using skin bacteria for therapeutic purposes.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Dermatology
Background:
- The skin hosts a complex microbiome crucial for health.
- Staphylococcus epidermidis is a dominant skin commensal.
- Historically, S. epidermidis strains were considered uniform in function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on S. epidermidis strain diversity.
- To evaluate the benefits and costs of S. epidermidis colonization.
- To challenge the assumption of uniform strain behavior.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of S. epidermidis strain-level diversity.
- Analysis of context-dependent roles in skin homeostasis.
- Evaluation of pathogenic versus protective functions.
Main Results:
- Significant strain-level variation exists within S. epidermidis.
- Strain behavior (beneficial or detrimental) is context-dependent.
- The assumption of uniform S. epidermidis behavior is challenged.
Conclusions:
- S. epidermidis strain function is highly variable and context-specific.
- Further research is needed to understand strain roles before therapeutic use.
- Commensal bacteria hold potential for treating skin diseases but require careful study.
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