Resistance to Staphylococcus aureus Toxins

A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Bacterial Toxins".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 37426

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
VBMI, INSERM U1047, Université de Montpellier, Service de Microbiologie et Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU Nîmes, 30029 Nîmes, France
Interests: chronic infections; diabetic foot ulcers; recurrent urinary tract infections; microbiota; virulence; resistance; diagnostic tool; alternative treatments

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal microorganism that is often present asymptomatically on parts of the human body. S. aureus is also a major human pathogen able to adapt to diverse hosts and environmental conditions, and to cause diverse infections (e.g., bloodstream infections, endocarditis, skin and soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis, lower respiratory tract). S. aureus is equipped with a collection of virulence factors and toxins, often making it responsible for many toxin-mediated diseases.

A WHO report on ‘Antimicrobial resistance: global report on surveillance’ highlights that the methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains remain a public health problem and a threat to humans associated with high morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic costs. Antibiotic resistance is a global crisis, which urgently requires alternative strategies to standard antibiotic therapy. MRSA was associated with healthcare settings, the so-called hospital-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). More recently, community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections have been rising in frequency, and now MRSA strains also represent a major cause of community-associated infections. CA-MRSA is genetically distinct from HA-MRSA, being resistant to fewer antibiotics, carrying a smaller trait of SCCmec, and often producing the Panton–Valentine leukocidin. Moreover, CA-MRSA invading healthcare settings has been also identified as the etiological agent of nosocomial outbreaks.

This Special Issue aims to characterize and discuss the pathogenesis of S. aureus infection; the epidemiology of virulence content of MRSA; the physiopathology and clinical aspects of the virulence (notably the toxinogenic markers) in MRSA; the evolution of resistance and virulence determinants during the infections; the genetic adaptation of S. aureus to antibiotics and its environment; and the in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo impacts of antibiotics or alternative strategies on S. aureus virulence. Discussions can be proposed in the light to limit antibiotic used and discover new alternative therapeutic solutions to fight against S. aureus virulence and reduce antibiotic resistance.

Prof. Dr. Jean-Philippe Lavigne
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • S. aureus
  • MRSA
  • Pathogenesis
  • Genetic adaptation
  • Antibiotic resistance
  • Virulence

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1366 KiB  
Article
In-Host Emergence of Linezolid Resistance in a Complex Pattern of Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-1-Positive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Siblings with Cystic Fibrosis
by Agathe Boudet, Alexandre Jay, Catherine Dunyach-Remy, Raphaël Chiron, Jean-Philippe Lavigne and Hélène Marchandin
Toxins 2021, 13(5), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13050317 - 28 Apr 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2703
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can cause chronic lung infections in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). One option for managing them is the use of linezolid. We hereby report the in-host emergence of linezolid resistance (LR) in MRSA in CF siblings via a population [...] Read more.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can cause chronic lung infections in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). One option for managing them is the use of linezolid. We hereby report the in-host emergence of linezolid resistance (LR) in MRSA in CF siblings via a population analysis. A collection of 171 MRSA strains from 68 samples were characterized by determining their linezolid Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs), analyzing the locus of staphylococcal protein A (spa) and whole genome sequencing. Courses of linezolid were retraced. Strains belonged to three spa types (t002, t045, t127) and two sequence types (ST1, ST5). Emergence of LR occurred under treatment, one year apart in both siblings, in the CC5-MRSA-I Geraldine clone harboring the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1-encoding gene. Resistance was related to a G2576T substitution present in a variable number of 23S rRNA gene copies. Susceptible and resistant strains were co-isolated within samples. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-based analysis revealed complex colonizations by highly diversified, clonally related populations. LR remains rare in MRSA and there are very few longitudinal analyses documenting its emergence. Analyzing a large MRSA collection revealed new aspects of LR emergence: it emerges in specific subclonal lineages resulting from adaptive diversification of MRSA in the CF lung and this heterogeneity of intra-sample resistance may contribute to compromising antibiotic management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resistance to Staphylococcus aureus Toxins)
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19 pages, 1755 KiB  
Article
Adaptation of Staphylococcus aureus in a Medium Mimicking a Diabetic Foot Environment
by Cassandra Pouget, Claude-Alexandre Gustave, Christelle Ngba-Essebe, Frédéric Laurent, Emmanuel Lemichez, Anne Tristan, Albert Sotto, Catherine Dunyach-Rémy and Jean-Philippe Lavigne
Toxins 2021, 13(3), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13030230 - 22 Mar 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3721
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is the most prevalent pathogen isolated from diabetic foot infections (DFIs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate its behavior in an in vitro model mimicking the conditions encountered in DFI. Four clinical S. aureus strains were cultivated for 16 [...] Read more.
Staphylococcus aureus is the most prevalent pathogen isolated from diabetic foot infections (DFIs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate its behavior in an in vitro model mimicking the conditions encountered in DFI. Four clinical S. aureus strains were cultivated for 16 weeks in a specific environment based on the wound-like medium biofilm model. The adaptation of isolates was evaluated as follows: by Caenorhabditis elegans model (to evaluate virulence); by quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) (to evaluate expression of the main virulence genes); and by Biofilm Ring test® (to assess the biofilm formation). After 16 weeks, the four S. aureus had adapted their metabolism, with the development of small colony variants and the loss of β-hemolysin expression. The in vivo nematode model suggested a decrease of virulence, confirmed by qRT-PCRs, showing a significant decrease of expression of the main staphylococcal virulence genes tested, notably the toxin-encoding genes. An increased expression of genes involved in adhesion and biofilm was noted. Our data based on an in vitro model confirm the impact of environment on the adaptation switch of S. aureus to prolonged stress environmental conditions. These results contribute to explore and characterize the virulence of S. aureus in chronic wounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resistance to Staphylococcus aureus Toxins)
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14 pages, 5812 KiB  
Article
Virulence Factors Found in Nasal Colonization and Infection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Isolates and Their Ability to Form a Biofilm
by Thamiris Santana Machado, Felipe Ramos Pinheiro, Lialyz Soares Pereira Andre, Renata Freire Alves Pereira, Reginaldo Fernandes Correa, Gabriela Coutinho de Mello, Tainara Aparecida Nunes Ribeiro, Bruno Penna, Daniela Sachs and Fábio Aguiar-Alves
Toxins 2021, 13(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13010014 - 25 Dec 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3166
Abstract
Hospitalizations related to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are frequent, increasing mortality and health costs. In this way, this study aimed to compare the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of MRSA isolates that colonize and infect patients seen at two hospitals in the city of [...] Read more.
Hospitalizations related to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are frequent, increasing mortality and health costs. In this way, this study aimed to compare the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of MRSA isolates that colonize and infect patients seen at two hospitals in the city of Niterói—Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 147 samples collected between March 2013 and December 2015 were phenotyped and genotyped to identify the protein A (SPA) gene, the mec staphylococcal chromosomal cassette (SCCmec), mecA, Panton-Valentine Leucocidin (PVL), icaC, icaR, ACME, and hla virulence genes. The strength of biofilm formation has also been exploited. The prevalence of SCCmec type IV (77.1%) was observed in the colonization group; however, in the invasive infection group, SCCmec type II was prevalent (62.9%). The Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST), ST5/ST30, and ST5/ST239 analyses were the most frequent clones in colonization, and invasive infection isolates, respectively. Among the isolates selected to assess the ability to form a biofilm, 51.06% were classified as strong biofilm builders. Surprisingly, we observed that isolates other than the Brazilian Epidemic Clone (BEC) have appeared in Brazilian hospitals. The virulence profile has changed among these isolates since the ACME type I and II genes were also identified in this collection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resistance to Staphylococcus aureus Toxins)
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Review

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22 pages, 467 KiB  
Review
Staphylococcus aureus Toxins: An Update on Their Pathogenic Properties and Potential Treatments
by Nour Ahmad-Mansour, Paul Loubet, Cassandra Pouget, Catherine Dunyach-Remy, Albert Sotto, Jean-Philippe Lavigne and Virginie Molle
Toxins 2021, 13(10), 677; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13100677 - 23 Sep 2021
Cited by 146 | Viewed by 26653
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a clinically important pathogen that causes a wide range of human infections, from minor skin infections to severe tissue infection and sepsis. S. aureus has a high level of antibiotic resistance and is a common cause of infections in hospitals [...] Read more.
Staphylococcus aureus is a clinically important pathogen that causes a wide range of human infections, from minor skin infections to severe tissue infection and sepsis. S. aureus has a high level of antibiotic resistance and is a common cause of infections in hospitals and the community. The rising prevalence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA), combined with the important severity of S. aureus infections in general, has resulted in the frequent use of anti-staphylococcal antibiotics, leading to increasing resistance rates. Antibiotic-resistant S. aureus continues to be a major health concern, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies. S. aureus uses a wide range of virulence factors, such as toxins, to develop an infection in the host. Recently, anti-virulence treatments that directly or indirectly neutralize S. aureus toxins have showed promise. In this review, we provide an update on toxin pathogenic characteristics, as well as anti-toxin therapeutical strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resistance to Staphylococcus aureus Toxins)
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