title: Staphylococcus aureus: a pathogen with still unresolved issues.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen, and considerable research efforts have been put forward to improve our understanding of its complex pathogenesis. In spite of these efforts, the burden of staphylococcal infections is still on the rise. This review focuses on a selected set of crucial unresolved questions regarding this pathogen, namely: (i) the nature of the driving forces behind the rise and decline of methicillin-resistant S.aureus (MRSA) clones; (ii) the mechanisms by which a commensal becomes a pathogen; (iii) the molecular underpinnings of toxin overexpression in hypervirulent MRSA clones such as USA300; and (iv) the repeated failures of anti-S.aureus vaccine approaches.
authors.affiliation: UMR U1111 INSERM Université de Lyon, Site Laënnec, 8 rue Guillaume Paradin, 69372 Lyon, France; Hospices Civils de Lyon, Groupement Hospitalier Est, 69 Boulevard Pinel, 69677 Bron, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rasigade
authors.affiliation: UMR U1111 INSERM Université de Lyon, Site Laënnec, 8 rue Guillaume Paradin, 69372 Lyon, France; Hospices Civils de Lyon, Groupement Hospitalier Est, 69 Boulevard Pinel, 69677 Bron, France. Electronic address: francois.vandenesch@univ-lyon1.fr.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vandenesch
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Bacterial toxins; Gene expression regulation; MRSA; Molecular epidemiology; Staphylococcus aureus; Vaccine strategy