Host determinants in staphylococcal disease.

Abstract

Despite impressive gains in knowledge about the microbe and the host, the understanding and control of infections caused by staphylococci are still far from complete. Staphylococcus aureus continues to cause serious infectious diseases with a relative high morbidity and mortality. These are classical examples of opportunistic infections: deviations from the state in which the host controls bacterial colonization and prevents tissue invasion. The staphylococcus possesses numerous virulence factors that can act independently to induce a variety of symptoms and lesions. Therefore, clinical disease caused by staphylococci may vary widely. Although staphy­ lococci have a special preference for invasion of soft tissues and bones, every organ system can be affected ( 1, 2). This paper reviews progress made in understanding the interaction be­ tween virulence factors of staphylococci and defense mechanisms of the host as they relate to colonization and invasion. In addition, defects in host resistance are discussed, as these may indicate the relative importance of host determinants in staphylococcal disease� The potential virulence fac­ tors of staphylococci and their effects on host defense are summarized in Table 1.