Methicillin-resistant and susceptible Staphylococcus aureus: tolerance, immune evasion and treatment

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is capable of infecting every organ system in the body and developing resistance to every available antibiotic used to treat it, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (commonly referred to as MRSA). This pathogen is characterized by the sudden emergence of virulent new clones and an array of mechanisms to circumvent the immune system and antibiotics. Furthermore, despite the development of new antibiotics and a growing body of high-quality data to inform their use, S. aureus continues to be a leading bacterial cause of death worldwide. In this Review, we provide an overview of the basic research on the complex interplay between S. aureus, the host and antibiotics. We also provide an update on the contemporary clinical studies on the treatment and prevention of S. aureus.