Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium that often colonizes human skin and nasal passages. It can cause infections ranging from minor skin disease to life-threatening illness.

Protein A: A cell-wall protein of Staphylococcus aureus that binds the Fc region of immunoglobulin G. It interferes with antibody-mediated recognition and helps the bacterium evade immune clearance.
Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome: A blistering skin disorder caused by circulating exfoliative toxins from Staphylococcus aureus. It illustrates how a bacterial toxin can damage skin far from the infection site.
Gram-positive bacteria: Bacteria whose thick peptidoglycan cell walls retain the crystal violet stain in Gram staining. S. aureus belongs to this broad group and has a thick peptidoglycan wall.
Staphylococcus epidermidis: A coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species that commonly inhabits human skin and can infect implanted devices. Unlike S. aureus, it is usually less virulent but is a frequent device-associated pathogen.
Bacteremia: The presence of bacteria in the bloodstream, which can lead to systemic infection. S. aureus bacteremia can seed distant organs and carries a substantial risk of death.
Staphylococcal enterotoxin: A family of heat-stable toxins produced by some staphylococci that can trigger food poisoning. These toxins cause rapid vomiting and diarrhea when ingested in contaminated food.
Staphylococcal food poisoning: Acute illness caused by ingesting food contaminated with preformed Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins. The toxin remains active even when cooking has killed the bacteria.
Staphylococcus: A genus of spherical bacteria that typically grow in irregular clusters. S. aureus is one species within this cluster-forming bacterial genus.
Staphylococcus saprophyticus: A coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species that can cause urinary tract infections, especially in young women. It is a common urinary pathogen but lacks the broad disease profile of S. aureus.
Endocarditis: Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, often involving infection of a heart valve. S. aureus is a major cause of acute, destructive infective endocarditis.

Linked from 31 pages