Mapping the evolving landscape of Staphylococcus aureus virulence: determinants, regulation, and new directions

Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity depends on diverse virulence factors and regulators. However, the research trajectory of this field has not yet been quantitatively mapped.

We analyzed 16,899 Web of Science records (1990-2024) using bibliometrics to quantify output and impact, the normalized cumulative frequency (NCF), and a trend-factor metric for individual virulence determinants and regulators, and structural topic modeling (STM) to identify and track major themes.

S. aureus virulence increased more than sevenfold, with recent growth driven by emerging economies and expanding cross-disciplinary input. NCF and trend-factor analyses indicate that attention to classical toxins and core regulators has plateaued at a high level. Interest has shifted toward biofilm- and adaptation-linked factors and cell-envelope stress regulators, reflecting growing concern over chronic and antibiotic-tolerant infections. STM revealed seven dominant themes and showed sustained growth of biofilm- and regulation-focused topics, alongside a relative decline of foodborne and toxin-centric themes.

This multi-level, data-driven map summarizes patterns in how attention to S. aureus virulence determinants, regulators, and thematic domains has evolved since 1990 and may inform future work on virulence mechanisms, anti-virulence, and anti-biofilm strategies, and clinically oriented research.