ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus aureus, a ubiquitous bacterium, is a medically important, highly dangerous pathogen due to its combined toxin-mediated virulence, invasiveness, and antibiotic resistance [1]. An estimated 40% of nosocomial infections are attributable to S. aureus, solidifying its predominant role in community-acquired infections [2]. Further, S. aureus accounts for nearly 20% of bloodstream infections in the hospital setting [3], and the treatment of S. aureus infection is often challenging with the ongoing emergence of multidrug-resistant strains, imposing substantial disease morbidity and mortality burden [2,82] S. aureus is part of human microbiota and lives in a commensal or symbiotic relationship with a human host. However, because of its ability to infect almost every tissue and organ of the human body, this opportunistic pathogen can cause a wide spectrum of diseases from skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) to severe invasive diseases such as infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and toxic shock syndrome [2,4]. An estimated 30% and 1.5% of the U.S. population is colonized with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), respectively [5–7]. Although colonization may not be injurious to a host's health, it can be a risk factor for future infections, and S. aureus carriers are able to transmit and spread the organisms to susceptible individuals [8].