What distinguishes highly pathogenic staphylococci from medium- and non-pathogenic?

نویسندگان

  • Ralf Rosenstein
  • Friedrich Götz
چکیده

Members of the genus Staphylococcus are widespread as commensals of humans and animals where they colonize the skin or mucous membranes. While this coexistence remains mostly untroubled, especially for the healthy host, the bacteria may pose a serious threat for the human or animal host when they get access to inner layers of the body through breaches in skin or membranes. Among the members of the genus a wide span exists in the ability to cope with the hostile conditions encountered in the bloodstream of the living host as a scarce supply of certain nutrients, attacks of the immune system, or anti-infective measures undertaken in the clinical field. In this respect, Staphylococcus aureus is by far the most versatile species of the genus. Its equipment with a huge repertoire of different virulence factors and additional supportive gene products that increase the capability to survive within the living host makes S. aureus the leading pathogen not only within the genus but also one of the most threatening microorganisms regarding hospitally and community-acquired infections. Compared with S. aureus, the other virulent species of the genus like S. epidermidis, S. lugdunensis, S. saprophyticus, and S. haemolyticus have a more limited arsenal of virulence factors resulting in a specialized spectrum of diseases and a generally lower degree of pathogenicity. Besides the highly and medium-pathogenic staphylococci, the genus comprises also species like S. carnosus, S. xylosus, and S. equorum that are generally inconspicuous regarding clinical occurrences. Some strains of this group are used in the food industry and can be graded as non-pathogenic. This review aims to work out the differences between the pathogenic properties of highly and medium-pathogenic staphylococcal species and to draw a comparison between the pathogenic species and the food-grade S. carnosus TM300.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Characterization of hemolysins of Staphylococcus strains isolated from human and bovine, southern Iran

The staphylococci are important pathogenic bacteria causing various infections in animals and human. Hemolysin is one of the virulence factors of coagulase-positive (CPS) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). The aims of the study were to characterize hemolysins of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from human and bovine origin, phenotypic- and genotypically. Characterization of hemolysin pheno...

متن کامل

The Survival of Staphylococci within Human Leukocytes

In a study of the phagocytosis of staphylococci by human leukocytes it has been observed that strains of staphylococci producing human infection were phagocytized by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro under conditions in which virulent pneumococci, streptococci, or Klebsiella were rarely engulfed. In the presence of human leukocytes in plasma there was a rapid fall in the numbers of vi...

متن کامل

Fate of Staphylococci within Human Leukocytes

Direct observations by phase microscopy have demonstrated that small numbers of pathogenic staphylococci survive prolonged periods of time within living human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Non-pathogenic microorganisms are rapidly destroyed in similar preparations. Leukocytes in which staphylococci remained viable often appeared less vigorous after ingesting microorganisms, but intracellular su...

متن کامل

Characterization of hemolysins of Staphylococcus strains isolated from human and bovine, southern Iran.

The staphylococci are important pathogenic bacteria causing various infections in animals and human. Hemolysin is one of the virulence factors of coagulase-positive (CPS) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). The aims of the study were to characterize hemolysins of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from human and bovine origin, phenotypic- and genotypically. Characterization of hemolysin pheno...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Current topics in microbiology and immunology

دوره 358  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2013