Pathogenesis of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathogen capable of causing a wide range of human diseases. However, the role of different virulence factors in the development of staphylococcal infections remains incompletely understood. Some clonal types are well equipped to cause disease across the globe, whereas others are facile at causing disease among community members. In this review, general aspects of staphylococcal pathogenesis are addressed, with emphasis on methicillin-resistant strains. Although methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains are not necessarily more virulent than methicillin-sensitive S. aureus strains, some MRSA strains contain factors or genetic backgrounds that may enhance their virulence or may enable them to cause particular clinical syndromes. We examine these pathogenic factors.

Figure 1

Pathogenic factors of Staphylococcus aureus, with structural and secreted products both playing roles as virulence factors. A, Surface and secreted proteins. B and C, Cross-sections of the cell envelope. TSST-1, toxic shock syndrome toxin 1. Reprinted from [32], with permission from the Massachusetts Medical Society. Copyright 1998 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.