Abstract
Staphylococci encompass a multitude of species with different pathological capacities in human beings, with Staphylococcus aureus (SA) standing out as the most virulent species. SA is capable of producing a multitude of clinical syndromes, both mediated by the toxin and by tissue invasion and destruction. Of note for their frequency and severity are skin and soft tissue infections, bone and joint infections, bacteremia, endocarditis, prosthetic device infections, and pneumonia (including hemorrhagic pneumonia in young patients). It can have various mechanisms of resistance, of which resistance to beta-lactams (methicillin-resistant SA, MRSA) mediated by the production of PBP2a (mecA gene) is of note for its therapeutic importance. Treatment of methicillin-sensitive SA is based on cloxacillin or cefazolin whereas treatment options for MRSA are vancomycin, daptomycin, or linezolid. Coagulase-negative staphylococci are less virulent, although they tend to be resistant to methicillin. They only cause infections in patients with predisposing conditions (immunosuppressed, prosthetic material, venous access, etc.), with the exception of Staphylococcus lugdunensis, which can cause infections similar to SA and which also tend to be sensitive to penicillin.
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