title: Models matter: the search for an effective Staphylococcus aureus vaccine.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a highly successful bacterial pathogen owing to its abundance of cell surface and secreted virulence factors. It is estimated that 30% of the population is colonized with S. aureus, usually on mucosal surfaces, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus is a major public health concern. There have been multiple attempts to develop an S. aureus vaccine using one or more cell surface virulence factors as antigens; all of these vaccine trials have failed. In this Opinion article, we suggest that an over-reliance on rodent models and a focus on targeting cell surface components have been major contributing factors to this failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Wilmara
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Salgado-Pabón
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Schlievert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013209:Staphylococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D013209:Staphylococcal Vaccines